Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa
South Africa: Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female was 9.5% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa, 1990–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 9.5% for repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female in 2017.
That represents a change of down 16.4% on the previous year and down 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 15.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2004.
South Africa ranks 25th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.2% | — |
| 1998 | 12.8% | -10.1% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | -44.2% |
| 2000 | 10.8% | +52.0% |
| 2001 | 10.1% | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | -29.1% |
| 2003 | 9.6% | +34.7% |
| 2004 | 6.3% | -34.5% |
| 2008 | 15.4% | +145.4% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | -13.7% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 14.3% | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 11.0% | -22.9% |
| 2015 | 11.4% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 9.5% | -16.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 9.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7%, 14.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 9.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.5%, 1.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +145.4% | 6.3% | 15.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.4% | 7.1% | 14.2% | 3 |
| 2000s | 10.4% | 6.3% | 15.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 9.5% | 14.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa?
- Repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female in South Africa was 9.5% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female?
- South Africa ranks 25th out of 186 countries with data for 2017.
- Is repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of female repeaters in a given grade in a given school year, expressed as a percentage of female enrolment in that grade the previous school year. Divide the number of female repeaters in a given grade in school year t+1 by the number of female pupils from the same cohort enrolled in the same grade in the previous school year t.