Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa

South Africa: Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male was 35,273 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
35,273
Change on year
up 87.9%
World rank
19th
of 197 countries
All-time high
81,865
in 1991
All-time low
18,776
in 2022
Years of data
15
1991–2023

Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa, 1991–2023

20.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k1991200720231991: 81.9k1998: 53.3k1999: 70.9k2000: 63.1k2002: 52.8k2003: 32.1k2004: 50.5k2015: 62.4k2016: 56.7k2018: 49.8k2019: 48.6k2020: 44.4k2021: 31.6k2022: 18.8k2023: 35.3k

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa is 35,273, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 87.9% on the previous year and down 43.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa peaked at 81,865 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 18,776, in 2022.

South Africa ranks 19th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1991 81,865
1998 53,295 -34.9%
1999 70,947 +33.1%
2000 63,061 -11.1%
2002 52,805 -16.3%
2003 32,073 -39.3%
2004 50,501 +57.5%
2015 62,433 +23.6%
2016 56,704 -9.2%
2018 49,813 -12.2%
2019 48,607 -2.4%
2020 44,400 -8.7%
2021 31,553 -28.9%
2022 18,776 -40.5%
2023 35,273 +87.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 68,702 53,295 81,865 3
2000s 49,610 32,073 63,061 4
2010s 54,389 48,607 62,433 4
2020s 32,500 18,776 44,400 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 16 Pakistan 38,105 compare
  2. 17 Angola 37,282 compare
  3. 18 Chad 35,690 compare
  4. 20 Algeria 33,227 compare
  5. 21 Afghanistan 33,082 compare
  6. 22 United States of America 32,422 compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa?
Repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa was 35,273 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 81,865 in 1991.
What is the lowest repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 18,776 in 2022.
How does South Africa rank for repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male?
South Africa ranks 19th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
Is repeaters in grade 3 of primary education, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 43.5%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-in-grade-3-of-primary-education-male-number-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters in Grade 3 of primary education, male (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
197 places, 5,139 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release