Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes was 18.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa is 18.4%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 46.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 18.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 1999.
South Africa ranks 162nd of 178 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 5.1% | — |
| 1999 | 4.6% | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 7.2% | +55.0% |
| 2015 | 12.6% | +74.9% |
| 2018 | 18.1% | +43.7% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 18.6% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.9% | -30.6% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | +42.1% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 12.6% | 18.6% | 3 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 12.9% | 18.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa?
- Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes in South Africa was 18.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 162nd out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Net enrolment rate, pre-primary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release