School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 4.68 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
4.68 million number
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
14th
of 206 countries
All-time high
4.68 million number
in 2019
All-time low
640,824 number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 4.68 million number for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 381.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 4.68 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 640,824 number, in 1970.
That places South Africa 14th out of 206 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 640,824 number | — |
| 1971 | 657,480 number | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 673,823 number | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 689,735 number | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 705,285 number | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 720,602 number | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 741,271 number | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 762,794 number | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 784,182 number | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 804,041 number | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 820,770 number | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 839,365 number | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 856,716 number | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 874,125 number | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 893,569 number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 917,339 number | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 947,552 number | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 980,785 number | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 1.01 million number | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 1.04 million number | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 1.06 million number | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 1.07 million number | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 1.08 million number | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 1.08 million number | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 1.08 million number | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 1.07 million number | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.06 million number | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.06 million number | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.04 million number | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 1.01 million number | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 994,654 number | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 982,823 number | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 972,900 number | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 964,686 number | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 957,811 number | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 951,481 number | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 951,156 number | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 954,633 number | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 961,853 number | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 972,955 number | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 987,529 number | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.01 million number | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 1.04 million number | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 1.07 million number | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 1.10 million number | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 3.44 million number | +212.2% |
| 2016 | 3.48 million number | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 3.50 million number | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 4.67 million number | +33.5% |
| 2019 | 4.68 million number | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 718,004 number | 640,824 number | 804,041 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 918,639 number | 820,770 number | 1.04 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.06 million number | 1.01 million number | 1.08 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 966,495 number | 951,156 number | 994,654 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.50 million number | 987,529 number | 4.68 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in South Africa was 4.68 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.68 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 640,824 number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 14th out of 206 countries with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 381.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to pre-primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.