Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa
South Africa: Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled was 101.77 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2023, primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa stood at 101.77.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa peaked at 107.31 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 79.08, in 1986.
South Africa ranks 95th of 217 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 100.11 | — |
| 1975 | 100.44 | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 94.31 | -6.1% |
| 1977 | 88.19 | -6.5% |
| 1978 | 81.97 | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 82.05 | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 82.27 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 82.49 | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 80.31 | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 80.01 | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 79.7 | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 79.39 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 79.08 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 80.41 | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 80.85 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 105.28 | +30.2% |
| 1990 | 104.67 | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 103.93 | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 103.45 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 102.98 | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 102.51 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 101.34 | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 99.8 | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 98.26 | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 97.49 | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 97.43 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 92.57 | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 93.36 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 95.74 | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 96.93 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 97.82 | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 97.53 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 98.62 | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 101.16 | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 102.37 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 102.6 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 103.44 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 104.05 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 104.71 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 104.09 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 104.2 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 107.31 | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 103.42 | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 101.58 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 100.42 | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 101.12 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 101.3 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 101.74 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 102.4 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 101.77 | -0.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 101.77 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.09, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 101.77 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.43, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +30.2% | 80.85 | 105.28 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 91.18 | 81.97 | 100.44 | 6 |
| 1980s | 82.98 | 79.08 | 105.28 | 10 |
| 1990s | 101.19 | 97.43 | 104.67 | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.87 | 92.57 | 102.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 103.43 | 100.42 | 107.31 | 10 |
| 2020s | 101.8 | 101.3 | 102.4 | 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 primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa?
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled in South Africa was 101.77 in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 107.31 in 2015.
- What is the lowest primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.08 in 1986.
- How does South Africa rank for primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled?
- South Africa ranks 95th out of 217 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary secondary enrollment completion rates with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Primary secondary enrollment completion rates with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.