School age population, primary education, female in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, primary education, female was 3.66 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3.66 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
20th
of 222 countries
All-time high
4.07 million
in 1997
All-time low
1.96 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, primary education, female in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.66 million for school age population, primary education, female in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 4.07 million in 1997 and was at its lowest, 1.96 million, in 1970.
That places South Africa 20th out of 222 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.96 million | — |
| 1971 | 2.02 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 2.08 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 2.14 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 2.21 million | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 2.28 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 2.35 million | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 2.42 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 2.49 million | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 2.57 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 2.64 million | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 2.68 million | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 2.72 million | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 2.76 million | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 2.80 million | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 2.87 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 2.95 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 3.01 million | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 3.07 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 3.15 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 3.26 million | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 3.41 million | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 3.58 million | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 3.76 million | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 3.84 million | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 3.97 million | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 4.02 million | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 4.07 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 4.05 million | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 4.02 million | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 3.97 million | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 3.92 million | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 3.85 million | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 3.80 million | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 3.75 million | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 3.70 million | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 3.63 million | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 3.56 million | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 3.48 million | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 3.42 million | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 3.34 million | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 3.30 million | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 3.29 million | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 3.34 million | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 3.40 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 3.47 million | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 3.58 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 3.65 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 3.72 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 3.76 million | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 3.78 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 3.76 million | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 3.71 million | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 3.68 million | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 3.66 million | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 3.66 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.25 million | 1.96 million | 2.57 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.86 million | 2.64 million | 3.15 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.80 million | 3.26 million | 4.07 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.71 million | 3.42 million | 3.97 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.49 million | 3.29 million | 3.76 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.71 million | 3.66 million | 3.78 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 17 Kenya 4.05 million compare
- 18 Viet Nam 3.89 million compare
- 19 Sudan 3.88 million compare
- 21 Russian Federation 3.63 million compare
- 22 Mozambique 3.43 million compare
- 23 Afghanistan 3.42 million compare
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.68 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 818,404 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 3.28 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.19 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -2.55 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 225,583 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 61,727 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 748,573 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -1.43 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, female in South Africa?
- School age population, primary education, female in South Africa was 3.66 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.07 million in 1997.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.96 million in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, primary education, female?
- South Africa ranks 20th out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release