Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa
South Africa: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 0.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
0.3%
World rank
38th
of 43 countries
All-time high
0.5%
in 2005
All-time low
0.2%
in 2013
Years of data
5
2005–2023
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa, 2005–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa stood at 0.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 47.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa peaked at 0.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2013.
South Africa ranks 38th of 43 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 0.5% | — |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -54.7% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +92.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -22.5% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6%, 56% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
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 participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in South Africa was 0.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5% in 2005.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2013.
- How does South Africa rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- South Africa ranks 38th out of 43 countries with data for 2023.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 55-64 years old, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release