School age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa

South Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, male was 544,953 number in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
544,953 number
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
21st
of 204 countries
All-time high
544,953 number
in 2020
All-time low
260,238 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020

School age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa, 1970–2020

0200.0k400.0k600.0k197019952020

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa is 544,953 number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 12.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa peaked at 544,953 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 260,238 number, in 1970.

South Africa ranks 21st of 204 countries on this measure, 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, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, last grade of primary education, male (number) in South Africa, 1970 to 2020.
Year number Change
1970 260,238 number
1971 267,220 number +2.7%
1972 274,762 number +2.8%
1973 282,414 number +2.8%
1974 290,285 number +2.8%
1975 297,877 number +2.6%
1976 304,836 number +2.3%
1977 311,841 number +2.3%
1978 319,384 number +2.4%
1979 327,102 number +2.4%
1980 335,402 number +2.5%
1981 345,210 number +2.9%
1982 355,682 number +3.0%
1983 366,145 number +2.9%
1984 377,115 number +3.0%
1985 387,269 number +2.7%
1986 395,040 number +2.0%
1987 402,195 number +1.8%
1988 410,193 number +2.0%
1989 417,892 number +1.9%
1990 428,078 number +2.4%
1991 443,094 number +3.5%
1992 461,230 number +4.1%
1993 478,148 number +3.7%
1994 494,162 number +3.3%
1995 507,736 number +2.7%
1996 519,441 number +2.3%
1997 519,371 number -0.0%
1998 526,570 number +1.4%
1999 532,676 number +1.2%
2000 538,414 number +1.1%
2001 541,880 number +0.6%
2002 539,338 number -0.5%
2003 532,567 number -1.3%
2004 525,358 number -1.4%
2005 517,059 number -1.6%
2006 508,840 number -1.6%
2007 501,682 number -1.4%
2008 495,623 number -1.2%
2009 489,826 number -1.2%
2010 484,601 number -1.1%
2011 481,231 number -0.7%
2012 480,408 number -0.2%
2013 481,429 number +0.2%
2014 482,496 number +0.2%
2015 482,283 number -0.0%
2016 487,533 number +1.1%
2017 499,136 number +2.4%
2018 514,731 number +3.1%
2019 529,576 number +2.9%
2020 544,953 number +2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 293,596 number 260,238 number 327,102 number 10
1980s 379,214 number 335,402 number 417,892 number 10
1990s 491,051 number 428,078 number 532,676 number 10
2000s 519,059 number 489,826 number 541,880 number 10
2010s 492,342 number 480,408 number 529,576 number 10
2020s 544,953 number 544,953 number 544,953 number 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Kenya 690,996 number compare
  2. 19 Iran, Islamic Republic of 638,419 number compare
  3. 20 Uganda 624,242 number compare
  4. 22 Sudan 540,617 number compare
  5. 23 Afghanistan 532,975 number compare
  6. 24 Myanmar 472,541 number compare

See the full ranking of 249 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa?
School age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa was 544,953 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 544,953 number in 2020.
What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 260,238 number in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, male?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 204 countries with data for 2020.
Is school age population, last grade of primary education, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.5%. 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 School age population, last grade of primary education, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, last grade of primary education, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-last-grade-of-primary-education-male-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, last grade of primary education, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
249 places, 12,245 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Male population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.