School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in South Africa
South Africa: School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) was 17.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling
School enrollment, preprimary in South Africa, 1994–2020
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, preprimary in South Africa is 17.5%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, preprimary in South Africa peaked at 31.0% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 1999.
That places South Africa 172nd out of 197 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 26.5% | — |
| 1996 | 31.0% | +16.8% |
| 1998 | 24.0% | -22.7% |
| 1999 | 5.2% | -78.3% |
| 2010 | 18.5% | +255.0% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 18.3% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 18.8% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 18.2% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 18.4% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 17.6% | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 17.8% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | -1.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +255.0% | 5.2% | 18.5% |
| 1999 | -78.3% | 24.0% | 5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.7% | 5.2% | 31.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 18.4% | 17.6% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.05 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.94 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, preprimary in South Africa?
- School enrollment, preprimary in South Africa was 17.5% in 2020, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, preprimary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.0% in 1996.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, preprimary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for school enrollment, preprimary?
- South Africa ranks 172nd out of 197 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school enrollment, preprimary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, preprimary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.