Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes was 77,480 number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
77,480 number
Change on year
down 15.8%
World rank
15th
of 187 countries
All-time high
139,140 number
in 1991
All-time low
52,504 number
in 2003
Years of data
10
1991–2018

Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1991–2018

050.0k100.0k150.0k1991200420181991: 139.1k number1998: 90.1k number1999: 118.7k number2000: 103.6k number2002: 85.5k number2003: 52.5k number2004: 91.3k number2015: 105.6k number2016: 92.0k number2018: 77.5k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 77,480 number for repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in 2018.

The figure is down 15.8% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 139,140 number in 1991 and was at its lowest, 52,504 number, in 2003.

That places South Africa 15th out of 187 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.

Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2018.
Year number Change
1991 139,140 number
1998 90,118 number -35.2%
1999 118,746 number +31.8%
2000 103,557 number -12.8%
2002 85,496 number -17.4%
2003 52,504 number -38.6%
2004 91,289 number +73.9%
2015 105,613 number +15.7%
2016 91,979 number -12.9%
2018 77,480 number -15.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 116,001 number 90,118 number 139,140 number 3
2000s 83,212 number 52,504 number 103,557 number 4
2010s 91,691 number 77,480 number 105,613 number 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 12 Cameroon 94,799 number compare
  2. 13 Burundi 86,226 number compare
  3. 14 Benin 79,837 number compare
  4. 16 Pakistan 75,106 number compare
  5. 17 Côte d'Ivoire 70,167 number compare
  6. 18 Chad 67,310 number compare

See the full ranking of 187 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa?
Repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa was 77,480 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 139,140 number in 1991.
What is the lowest repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 52,504 number in 2003.
How does South Africa rank for repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 15th out of 187 countries with data for 2018.
Is repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. 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 3 of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-in-grade-3-of-primary-education-both-sexes-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
187 places, 4,870 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.