Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa

South Africa: Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female was 128,261 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
128,261 number
Change on year
down 39.1%
World rank
22nd
of 134 countries
All-time high
210,682 number
in 2017
All-time low
80,174 number
in 2005
Years of data
10
1994–2018

Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa, 1994–2018

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k1994200620181994: 160.1k number1999: 121.9k number2000: 141.6k number2001: 161.8k number2002: 151.0k number2003: 128.6k number2004: 98.7k number2005: 80.2k number2017: 210.7k number2018: 128.3k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa is 128,261 number, measured in 2018.

The figure is down 39.1% on the previous year and up 60.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa peaked at 210,682 number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 80,174 number, in 2005.

South Africa ranks 22nd of 134 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.

Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female (number) in South Africa, 1994 to 2018.
Year number Change
1994 160,070 number
1999 121,892 number -23.9%
2000 141,589 number +16.2%
2001 161,751 number +14.2%
2002 150,977 number -6.7%
2003 128,618 number -14.8%
2004 98,695 number -23.3%
2005 80,174 number -18.8%
2017 210,682 number +162.8%
2018 128,261 number -39.1%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 128,261 number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14,894 number, 8.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 128,261 number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 108,050 number, 1.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 140,981 number 121,892 number 160,070 number 2
2000s 126,967 number 80,174 number 161,751 number 6
2010s 169,472 number 128,261 number 210,682 number 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 19 Türkiye 178,745 number compare
  2. 20 Malawi 166,620 number compare
  3. 21 Central African Republic 144,491 number compare
  4. 23 Jordan 127,552 number compare
  5. 24 Burundi 118,499 number compare
  6. 25 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 106,544 number compare

See the full ranking of 179 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa?
Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa was 128,261 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 210,682 number in 2017.
What is the lowest out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 80,174 number in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female?
South Africa ranks 22nd out of 134 countries with data for 2018.
Is out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 60.0%. 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 Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-adolescents-of-lower-secondary-school-age-female-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school adolescents of lower secondary school age, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
179 places, 3,028 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of female lower secondary school age adolescents who are not enrolled in lower secondary education.