Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa

South Africa: Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male was 238,694 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
238,694
Change on year
up 107.1%
World rank
15th
of 199 countries
All-time high
506,743
in 1991
All-time low
115,231
in 2022
Years of data
16
1991–2023

Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa, 1991–2023

100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k500.0k1991200720231991: 506.7k1998: 366.5k1999: 467.7k2000: 388.8k2001: 233.8k2002: 322.9k2003: 224.0k2004: 320.2k2015: 426.7k2016: 411.9k2018: 370.8k2019: 391.8k2020: 352.6k2021: 236.7k2022: 115.2k2023: 238.7k

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2023, repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa stood at 238,694.

The figure is up 107.1% on the previous year and down 44.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa peaked at 506,743 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 115,231, in 2022.

That places South Africa 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.

Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1991 506,743
1998 366,539 -27.7%
1999 467,715 +27.6%
2000 388,834 -16.9%
2001 233,810 -39.9%
2002 322,869 +38.1%
2003 224,029 -30.6%
2004 320,234 +42.9%
2015 426,711 +33.2%
2016 411,915 -3.5%
2018 370,769 -10.0%
2019 391,809 +5.7%
2020 352,562 -10.0%
2021 236,721 -32.9%
2022 115,231 -51.3%
2023 238,694 +107.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 446,999 366,539 506,743 3
2000s 297,955 224,029 388,834 5
2010s 400,301 370,769 426,711 4
2020s 235,802 115,231 352,562 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 12 Cameroon 330,691 compare
  2. 13 Mali 283,137 compare
  3. 14 Angola 280,137 compare
  4. 16 Pakistan 229,843 compare
  5. 17 United States of America 212,468 compare
  6. 18 Chad 210,856 compare

See the full ranking of 419 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa?
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa was 238,694 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repeaters in primary education, all grades, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 506,743 in 1991.
What is the lowest repeaters in primary education, all grades, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 115,231 in 2022.
How does South Africa rank for repeaters in primary education, all grades, male?
South Africa ranks 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
Is repeaters in primary education, all grades, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 44.1%. 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 primary education, all grades, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-in-primary-education-all-grades-male-number-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, male (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
419 places, 15,622 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release