School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 1.08 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
1.08 million number
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
21st
of 204 countries
All-time high
1.08 million number
in 2020
All-time low
521,545 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.08 million number for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 1.08 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 521,545 number, in 1970.
That places South Africa 21st out of 204 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 521,545 number | — |
| 1971 | 535,262 number | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 550,103 number | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 565,144 number | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 580,646 number | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 595,685 number | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 609,347 number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 623,184 number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 638,085 number | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 653,277 number | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 669,518 number | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 688,722 number | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 709,152 number | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 729,567 number | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 751,106 number | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 771,127 number | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 785,874 number | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 799,406 number | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 814,745 number | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 829,646 number | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 849,744 number | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 879,193 number | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 915,160 number | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 948,796 number | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 980,565 number | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 1.01 million number | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 1.03 million number | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 1.03 million number | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.05 million number | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 1.06 million number | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 1.07 million number | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 1.08 million number | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 1.07 million number | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 1.06 million number | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 1.04 million number | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 1.03 million number | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 1.01 million number | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 995,863 number | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 984,119 number | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 972,880 number | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 962,800 number | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 955,742 number | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 953,680 number | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 955,411 number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 957,524 number | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 957,449 number | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 967,816 number | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 990,514 number | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 1.02 million number | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 1.05 million number | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.08 million number | +2.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.08 million number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 111,553 number, 9.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.08 million number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 321,924 number, 3.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 587,228 number | 521,545 number | 653,277 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 754,886 number | 669,518 number | 829,646 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 974,699 number | 849,744 number | 1.06 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.03 million number | 972,880 number | 1.08 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 977,188 number | 953,680 number | 1.05 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.08 million number | 1.08 million number | 1.08 million number | 1 |
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 school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in South Africa was 1.08 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.08 million number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 521,545 number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 204 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. 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 School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.