Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa

South Africa: Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female was 3.9% in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
3.9%
Change on year
down 29.0%
World rank
51st
of 141 countries
All-time high
11.6%
in 1990
All-time low
3.9%
in 2002
Years of data
8
1990–2017

Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa, 1990–2017

46810121990200320171990: 11.6 %1998: 8.3 %1999: 7.5 %2001: 6.8 %2002: 3.9 %2003: 6.7 %2015: 5.5 %2017: 3.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 3.9% for repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female in 2017.

That represents a change of down 29.0% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 11.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2002.

South Africa ranks 51st of 141 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female (%) in South Africa, 1990 to 2017.
Year % Change
1990 11.6%
1998 8.3% -28.5%
1999 7.5% -9.6%
2001 6.8% -10.0%
2002 3.9% -42.6%
2003 6.7% +72.7%
2015 5.5% -18.2%
2017 3.9% -29.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 3.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7%, 5.8× the median. (42 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 3.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.3%, 38% of the median. (40 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 9.1% 7.5% 11.6% 3
2000s 5.8% 3.9% 6.8% 3
2010s 4.7% 3.9% 5.5% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 48 Nepal 4.3% compare
  2. 49 Nicaragua 4.1% compare
  3. 50 Belize 4.0% compare
  4. 52 Argentina 3.4% compare
  5. 53 Dominican Republic 3.3% compare
  6. 54 Mauritania 3.0% compare

See the full ranking of 141 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa?
Repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa was 3.9% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 11.6% in 1990.
What is the lowest repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2002.
How does South Africa rank for repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female?
South Africa ranks 51st out of 141 countries with data for 2017.
Is repetition rate in grade 5 of primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. 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 Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repetition-rate-in-grade-5-of-primary-education-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repetition rate in Grade 5 of primary education, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
141 places, 2,591 data points, 1970–2018
Last refreshed

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.