Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa
South Africa: Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private was 5.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa stood at 5.1%.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa peaked at 6.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 139th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2.3% | — |
| 2000 | 2.3% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +9.3% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | +13.7% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | +11.2% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +19.3% |
| 2019 | 4.6% | -8.0% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | +32.1% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | -22.1% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 5.1% | +3.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 5.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.0%, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 5.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.8%, 27% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.3% | 3.7% | 5.0% | 8 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.8% | 6.1% | 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 percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa?
- Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private in South Africa was 5.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private?
- South Africa ranks 139th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.5%. 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 Percentage of enrolment in secondary education in private institutions, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release