Primary education, teachers in South Africa
South Africa: Primary education, teachers was 287,310 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Primary education, teachers in South Africa, 1977–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, teachers in South Africa is 287,310, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 30.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, teachers in South Africa peaked at 287,310 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 145,434, in 1978.
That places South Africa 22nd out of 204 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Primary education, teachers in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 146,753 | — |
| 1978 | 145,434 | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 153,624 | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 270,365 | +76.0% |
| 1994 | 213,890 | -20.9% |
| 1995 | 224,896 | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 181,668 | -19.2% |
| 1999 | 220,813 | +21.5% |
| 2000 | 213,300 | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 190,595 | -10.6% |
| 2002 | 211,600 | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 211,198 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 209,442 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 232,999 | +11.2% |
| 2006 | 219,582 | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 220,308 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 221,065 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 212,296 | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 238,032 | +12.1% |
| 2011 | 213,440 | -10.3% |
| 2012 | 212,657 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 220,544 | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 219,579 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 249,103 | +13.4% |
| 2023 | 287,310 | +15.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 287,310 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 24,978, 11.5× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 287,310 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 50,688, 5.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, teachers in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +76.0% | 153,624 | 270,365 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 148,604 | 145,434 | 153,624 | 3 |
| 1990s | 222,326 | 181,668 | 270,365 | 5 |
| 2000s | 214,238 | 190,595 | 232,999 | 10 |
| 2010s | 225,559 | 212,657 | 249,103 | 6 |
| 2020s | 287,310 | 287,310 | 287,310 | 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 primary education, teachers in South Africa?
- Primary education, teachers in South Africa was 287,310 in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, teachers recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 287,310 in 2023.
- What is the lowest primary education, teachers recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 145,434 in 1978.
- How does South Africa rank for primary education, teachers?
- South Africa ranks 22nd out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, teachers rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, teachers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.