Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa
South Africa: Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in was 12 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
12
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
26th
of 191 countries
All-time high
12
in 2009
All-time low
12
in 2009
Years of data
17
2009–2025
Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa, 2009–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa stood at 12. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa peaked at 12 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 12, in 2009.
South Africa ranks 26th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 12 | — |
| 2010 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 12 | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 12 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 12 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9, 1.3× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 1 |
| 2010s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 26 Afghanistan 12 compare
- 26 Anguilla 12 compare
- 26 Albania 12 compare
- 26 United Arab Emirates 12 compare
- 26 Argentina 12 compare
- 26 Armenia 12 compare
- 26 Austria 12 compare
- 26 Belgium 12 compare
- 26 Bulgaria 12 compare
- 26 Bahrain 12 compare
- 26 Bahamas 12 compare
- 26 Bolivia 12 compare
- 26 Brazil 12 compare
- 26 Canada 12 compare
- 26 Chile 12 compare
- 26 Cuba 12 compare
- 26 Cayman Islands 12 compare
- 26 Cyprus 12 compare
- 26 Djibouti 12 compare
- 26 Dominica 12 compare
- 26 Dominican Republic 12 compare
- 26 Algeria 12 compare
- 26 Ecuador 12 compare
- 26 Egypt 12 compare
- 26 Estonia 12 compare
- 26 Finland 12 compare
- 26 France 12 compare
- 26 Georgia 12 compare
- 26 Greece 12 compare
- 26 Grenada 12 compare
- 26 Guatemala 12 compare
- 26 Hong Kong 12 compare
- 26 Hungary 12 compare
- 26 Indonesia 12 compare
- 26 Iraq 12 compare
- 26 Israel 12 compare
- 26 Jordan 12 compare
- 26 Kenya 12 compare
- 26 Saint Kitts and Nevis 12 compare
- 26 South Korea 12 compare
- 26 Kuwait 12 compare
- 26 Libya 12 compare
- 26 Lithuania 12 compare
- 26 Latvia 12 compare
- 26 Macao 12 compare
- 26 Monaco 12 compare
- 26 Moldova 12 compare
- 26 Madagascar 12 compare
- 26 Maldives 12 compare
- 26 Mexico 12 compare
- 26 Marshall Islands 12 compare
- 26 Mali 12 compare
- 26 Mongolia 12 compare
- 26 Montserrat 12 compare
- 26 Niue 12 compare
- 26 Netherlands 12 compare
- 26 Nepal 12 compare
- 26 Nauru 12 compare
- 26 Oman 12 compare
- 26 Pakistan 12 compare
- 26 Panama 12 compare
- 26 Philippines 12 compare
- 26 Palau 12 compare
- 26 Poland 12 compare
- 26 Puerto Rico 12 compare
- 26 Portugal 12 compare
- 26 Paraguay 12 compare
- 26 Palestine 12 compare
- 26 Qatar 12 compare
- 26 Saudi Arabia 12 compare
- 26 El Salvador 12 compare
- 26 Serbia 12 compare
- 26 Sweden 12 compare
- 26 Syria 12 compare
- 26 Thailand 12 compare
- 26 Turkmenistan 12 compare
- 26 Turkey 12 compare
- 26 Uruguay 12 compare
- 26 United States 12 compare
- 26 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12 compare
- 26 British Virgin Islands 12 compare
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 number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa?
- Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in in South Africa was 12 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12 in 2009.
- What is the lowest number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12 in 2009.
- How does South Africa rank for number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release