Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa
South Africa: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary was 30.33 in 2015. ▲ Rising
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa, 1977–2015
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 30.33 for pupil-teacher ratio, primary in 2015.
The figure is down 7.4% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa peaked at 44.54 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 26.67, in 1991.
South Africa ranks 43rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 29.47 | — |
| 1978 | 28.48 | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 27.78 | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 26.67 | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 37.27 | +39.8% |
| 1995 | 36.28 | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 44.54 | +22.8% |
| 1999 | 35.94 | -19.3% |
| 2000 | 34.9 | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 38.9 | +11.4% |
| 2002 | 35.28 | -9.3% |
| 2003 | 35.37 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 35.54 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 31.39 | -11.7% |
| 2006 | 33.05 | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 33.19 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 32.71 | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 33.58 | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 29.51 | -12.1% |
| 2011 | 32.6 | +10.5% |
| 2012 | 32.94 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 32.03 | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 32.77 | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 30.33 | -7.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pupil-teacher ratio, primary 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +39.8% | 26.67 | 37.27 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.58 | 27.78 | 29.47 | 3 |
| 1990s | 36.14 | 26.67 | 44.54 | 5 |
| 2000s | 34.39 | 31.39 | 38.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.7 | 29.51 | 32.94 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.05 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.94 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa?
- Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in South Africa was 30.33 in 2015, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.54 in 1997.
- What is the lowest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.67 in 1991.
- How does South Africa rank for pupil-teacher ratio, primary?
- South Africa ranks 43rd out of 199 countries with data for 2015.
- Is pupil-teacher ratio, primary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Pupil-teacher ratio, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.