School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 2.93 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
2.93 million number
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
18th
of 205 countries
All-time high
3.23 million number
in 2005
All-time low
925,205 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2020, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa stood at 2.93 million number.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 3.23 million number in 2005 and was at its lowest, 925,205 number, in 1970.
That places South Africa 18th out of 205 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 925,205 number | — |
| 1971 | 949,675 number | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 972,006 number | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 995,767 number | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 1.02 million number | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.05 million number | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 1.07 million number | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 1.10 million number | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 1.13 million number | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 1.16 million number | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 1.19 million number | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 1.22 million number | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 1.25 million number | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 1.28 million number | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.31 million number | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 1.35 million number | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 1.38 million number | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 1.42 million number | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 1.46 million number | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.50 million number | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 1.54 million number | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.58 million number | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 1.61 million number | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 1.64 million number | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 1.68 million number | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 1.72 million number | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 1.80 million number | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 2.75 million number | +53.1% |
| 1998 | 2.85 million number | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 2.94 million number | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 3.01 million number | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 3.08 million number | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 3.13 million number | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 3.18 million number | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 3.21 million number | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 3.23 million number | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 3.21 million number | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.18 million number | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 3.13 million number | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 3.09 million number | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.04 million number | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 3.00 million number | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 2.98 million number | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.95 million number | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 2.93 million number | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.91 million number | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 2.90 million number | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 2.90 million number | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 2.89 million number | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 2.90 million number | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 2.93 million number | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.04 million number | 925,205 number | 1.16 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.34 million number | 1.19 million number | 1.50 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.01 million number | 1.54 million number | 2.94 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.14 million number | 3.01 million number | 3.23 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.94 million number | 2.89 million number | 3.04 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.93 million number | 2.93 million number | 2.93 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 15 Iran, Islamic Republic of 4.46 million number compare
- 16 Philippines 4.17 million number compare
- 17 Viet Nam 3.89 million number compare
- 19 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.91 million number compare
- 20 Sudan 2.89 million number compare
- 21 Italy 2.87 million number compare
More education data for South Africa
- 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.65 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in South Africa was 2.93 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.23 million number in 2005.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 925,205 number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 18th out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. 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, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to upper secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.