Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa
South Africa: Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private was 5.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5.3%
Change on year
up 6.0%
World rank
141st
of 171 countries
All-time high
7.3%
in 2020
All-time low
2.6%
in 2000
Years of data
22
1999–2023
Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 5.3% for percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in 2023.
The figure is up 6.0% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa peaked at 7.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 141st out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2.6% | — |
| 2000 | 2.6% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | +16.2% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | +8.5% |
| 2012 | 4.5% | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | +13.2% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -8.9% |
| 2018 | 5.7% | +23.9% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | -14.8% |
| 2020 | 7.3% | +50.2% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -33.8% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | +6.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 5.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.9%, 35% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 5.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.4%, 22% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 3.8% | 5.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 4.9% | 7.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 138 Republic of Moldova 5.6% compare
- 139 Suriname 5.5% compare
- 140 Kyrgyzstan 5.3% compare
- 142 Greece 5.2% compare
- 143 Cambodia 4.9% compare
- 144 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.7% 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 percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa?
- Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private in South Africa was 5.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private?
- South Africa ranks 141st out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in private rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. 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 upper 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