Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes was 133,964 number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
133,964 number
Change on year
up 10.9%
World rank
4th
of 185 countries
All-time high
173,191 number
in 1999
All-time low
58,731 number
in 2002
Years of data
9
1991–2018

Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa, 1991–2018

50.0k75.0k100.0k125.0k150.0k175.0k1991200420181991: 134.2k number1999: 173.2k number2000: 171.7k number2002: 58.7k number2003: 63.5k number2004: 124.4k number2015: 114.3k number2016: 120.8k number2018: 134.0k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 133,964 number for repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.9% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 173,191 number in 1999 and was at its lowest, 58,731 number, in 2002.

That places South Africa 4th out of 185 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2018.
Year number Change
1991 134,198 number
1999 173,191 number +29.1%
2000 171,664 number -0.9%
2002 58,731 number -65.8%
2003 63,482 number +8.1%
2004 124,420 number +96.0%
2015 114,263 number -8.2%
2016 120,766 number +5.7%
2018 133,964 number +10.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 153,694 number 134,198 number 173,191 number 2
2000s 104,574 number 58,731 number 171,664 number 4
2010s 122,998 number 114,263 number 133,964 number 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 1 Brazil 656,820 number compare
  2. 2 Algeria 188,933 number compare
  3. 3 Egypt 144,874 number compare
  4. 5 Morocco 127,491 number compare
  5. 6 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 110,240 number compare
  6. 7 Angola 96,331 number compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa?
Repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa was 133,964 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 173,191 number in 1999.
What is the lowest repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 58,731 number in 2002.
How does South Africa rank for repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 4th out of 185 countries with data for 2018.
Is repeaters in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-in-grade-1-of-lower-secondary-general-education-both-sexes-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
185 places, 4,260 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Number of pupils in the specified grade who are enrolled in the same grade for a second (or further) year.