Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa
South Africa: Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public was 94.7% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
94.7%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
40th
of 183 countries
All-time high
97.5%
in 2000
All-time low
92.7%
in 2020
Years of data
22
1999–2023
Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa stood at 94.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa peaked at 97.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 92.7%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 40th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 97.4% | — |
| 2000 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 97.3% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 97.2% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 97.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 97.3% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 97.1% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 96.9% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 96.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 96.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 96.7% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 96.2% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 95.9% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 95.5% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 94.9% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 95.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 94.3% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 95.1% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 92.7% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 95.1% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 95.0% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 94.7% | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 94.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 85.1%, 1.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 94.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 76.6%, 1.2× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 97.4% | 97.4% | 97.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.1% | 96.7% | 97.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.3% | 94.3% | 96.2% | 7 |
| 2020s | 94.4% | 92.7% | 95.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 37 Bosnia and Herzegovina 95.3% compare
- 38 Cambodia 95.1% compare
- 39 Greece 94.8% compare
- 41 Kyrgyzstan 94.7% compare
- 42 Suriname 94.5% compare
- 43 Republic of Moldova 94.4% 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 public in South Africa?
- Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public in South Africa was 94.7% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 97.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 92.7% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public?
- South Africa ranks 40th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. 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 Percentage of enrolment in upper secondary education in public institutions, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release