School age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa

South Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, male was 2.37 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
2.37 million number
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
15th
of 206 countries
All-time high
2.37 million number
in 2019
All-time low
321,480 number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019

School age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa, 1970–2019

500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa is 2.37 million number, measured 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 382.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa peaked at 2.37 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 321,480 number, in 1970.

That places South Africa 15th 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, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, pre-primary education, male (number) in South Africa, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 321,480 number
1971 330,005 number +2.7%
1972 338,370 number +2.5%
1973 346,501 number +2.4%
1974 354,412 number +2.3%
1975 362,155 number +2.2%
1976 372,776 number +2.9%
1977 383,786 number +3.0%
1978 394,709 number +2.8%
1979 404,876 number +2.6%
1980 413,497 number +2.1%
1981 423,121 number +2.3%
1982 432,177 number +2.1%
1983 441,261 number +2.1%
1984 451,290 number +2.3%
1985 463,347 number +2.7%
1986 478,895 number +3.4%
1987 495,830 number +3.5%
1988 512,518 number +3.4%
1989 526,775 number +2.8%
1990 535,893 number +1.7%
1991 542,058 number +1.2%
1992 545,642 number +0.7%
1993 546,577 number +0.2%
1994 544,982 number -0.3%
1995 541,429 number -0.7%
1996 535,566 number -1.1%
1997 533,086 number -0.5%
1998 522,930 number -1.9%
1999 511,758 number -2.1%
2000 501,911 number -1.9%
2001 495,979 number -1.2%
2002 490,938 number -1.0%
2003 486,712 number -0.9%
2004 483,148 number -0.7%
2005 479,881 number -0.7%
2006 479,767 number -0.0%
2007 481,634 number +0.4%
2008 485,423 number +0.8%
2009 491,174 number +1.2%
2010 498,637 number +1.5%
2011 509,350 number +2.1%
2012 524,158 number +2.9%
2013 540,844 number +3.2%
2014 557,132 number +3.0%
2015 1.74 million number +212.4%
2016 1.76 million number +1.2%
2017 1.77 million number +0.6%
2018 2.37 million number +33.5%
2019 2.37 million number +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 360,907 number 321,480 number 404,876 number 10
1980s 463,871 number 413,497 number 526,775 number 10
1990s 535,992 number 511,758 number 546,577 number 10
2000s 487,657 number 479,767 number 501,911 number 10
2010s 1.26 million number 498,637 number 2.37 million number 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 12 Nigeria 3.10 million number compare
  2. 13 Egypt 2.61 million number compare
  3. 14 Vietnam 2.43 million number compare
  4. 16 Uganda 2.24 million number compare
  5. 17 Kenya 2.12 million number compare
  6. 18 Turkey 2.11 million number compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa?
School age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa was 2.37 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 2.37 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 321,480 number in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, male?
South Africa ranks 15th out of 206 countries with data for 2019.
Is school age population, pre-primary education, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 382.6%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, pre-primary education, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-pre-primary-education-male-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, pre-primary education, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
251 places, 12,152 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Male population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to pre-primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.