Repeaters, primary, total in South Africa

South Africa: Repeaters, primary, total was 8.8% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
8.8%
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
36th
of 189 countries
All-time high
12.3%
in 1991
All-time low
5.2%
in 2003
Years of data
10
1991–2016

Repeaters, primary, total in South Africa, 1991–2016

02.557.51012.51991200320161991: 12.3 % of total enrollment1998: 8 % of total enrollment1999: 10.4 % of total enrollment2000: 8.8 % of total enrollment2001: 9.4 % of total enrollment2002: 7.4 % of total enrollment2003: 5.2 % of total enrollment2004: 8 % of total enrollment2015: 9.2 % of total enrollment2016: 8.8 % of total enrollment

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of total enrollment.

Analysis

In 2016, repeaters, primary, total in South Africa stood at 8.8%.

That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and up 10.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters, primary, total in South Africa peaked at 12.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 2003.

That places South Africa 36th out of 189 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Repeaters, primary, total in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repeaters, primary, total (% of total enrollment) in South Africa, 1991 to 2016.
Year % of total enrollment Change
1991 12.3%
1998 8.0% -35.4%
1999 10.4% +30.3%
2000 8.8% -15.4%
2001 9.4% +6.5%
2002 7.4% -21.0%
2003 5.2% -29.5%
2004 8.0% +52.6%
2015 9.2% +16.2%
2016 8.8% -5.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.2% 8.0% 12.3% 3
2000s 7.7% 5.2% 9.4% 5
2010s 9.0% 8.8% 9.2% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 33 Guatemala 9.0% compare
  2. 34 Papua New Guinea 8.9% compare
  3. 35 Uganda 8.8% compare
  4. 37 Brazil 8.7% compare
  5. 38 Djibouti 8.7% compare
  6. 39 Mozambique 8.6% compare

See the full ranking of 231 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters, primary, total in South Africa?
Repeaters, primary, total in South Africa was 8.8% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest repeaters, primary, total recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 12.3% in 1991.
What is the lowest repeaters, primary, total recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 2003.
How does South Africa rank for repeaters, primary, total?
South Africa ranks 36th out of 189 countries with data for 2016.
Is repeaters, primary, total rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
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 Repeaters, primary, total (% of total enrollment). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters, primary, total in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-primary-total-percent-of-total-enrollment/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters, primary, total (% of total enrollment)
Unit
% of total enrollment
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
231 places, 6,836 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Repeaters in primary school are the number of students enrolled in the same grade as in the previous year, as a percentage of all students enrolled in primary school.