School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 7.92 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
7.92 million number
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
17th
of 206 countries
All-time high
7.92 million number
in 2020
All-time low
3.99 million number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in South Africa is 7.92 million number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 7.92 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.99 million number, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 17th of 206 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, primary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.99 million number | — |
| 1971 | 4.10 million number | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 4.20 million number | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 4.31 million number | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 4.42 million number | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 4.51 million number | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 4.62 million number | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 4.74 million number | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 4.87 million number | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 5.00 million number | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 5.13 million number | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 5.28 million number | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 5.41 million number | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 5.54 million number | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 5.67 million number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 5.78 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 5.91 million number | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 6.06 million number | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 6.23 million number | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 6.42 million number | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 6.63 million number | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 6.83 million number | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 7.01 million number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 7.17 million number | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 7.29 million number | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 7.36 million number | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 7.44 million number | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 7.43 million number | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 7.44 million number | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 7.41 million number | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 7.34 million number | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 7.27 million number | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 7.18 million number | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 7.09 million number | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 6.99 million number | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 6.90 million number | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 6.83 million number | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 6.77 million number | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 6.73 million number | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 6.70 million number | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 6.71 million number | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.73 million number | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 6.79 million number | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 6.88 million number | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 7.01 million number | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 7.16 million number | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 7.34 million number | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 7.52 million number | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 7.68 million number | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 7.82 million number | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 7.92 million number | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.48 million number | 3.99 million number | 5.00 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.74 million number | 5.13 million number | 6.42 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.20 million number | 6.63 million number | 7.44 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.98 million number | 6.70 million number | 7.34 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.16 million number | 6.71 million number | 7.82 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.92 million number | 7.92 million number | 7.92 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 14 Tanzania, United Republic of 11.27 million number compare
- 15 Uganda 9.41 million number compare
- 16 Kenya 8.32 million number compare
- 18 Iran, Islamic Republic of 7.90 million number compare
- 19 Viet Nam 7.44 million number compare
- 20 Russian Federation 7.06 million number compare
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, primary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Africa was 7.92 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.92 million number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.99 million number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.1%. 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, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.