School enrollment, primary (% gross) in South Africa
South Africa: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 101.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, primary in South Africa is 101.8%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in South Africa peaked at 107.3% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 79.1%, in 1986.
That places South Africa 88th out of 205 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 100.1% | — |
| 1975 | 100.4% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 88.2% | -12.2% |
| 1978 | 82.0% | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 82.1% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 82.5% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 80.3% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 79.1% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 80.4% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 80.8% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 105.3% | +30.2% |
| 1990 | 104.7% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 103.9% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 102.5% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 101.3% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 98.3% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 97.5% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 97.4% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 92.6% | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 93.4% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 95.7% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 96.9% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 97.8% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 97.5% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 98.6% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 101.2% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 102.4% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 102.6% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 103.4% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 104.0% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 104.7% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 104.1% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 104.2% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 107.3% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 103.4% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 101.6% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 100.4% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 101.1% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 101.3% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 101.7% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 102.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 101.8% | -0.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 101.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.1%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 101.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.4%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, primary (% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +30.2% | 80.8% | 105.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 90.6% | 82.0% | 100.4% | 5 |
| 1980s | 84.7% | 79.1% | 105.3% | 6 |
| 1990s | 100.8% | 97.4% | 104.7% | 7 |
| 2000s | 97.9% | 92.6% | 102.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 103.4% | 100.4% | 107.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 101.8% | 101.3% | 102.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 85 Dominican Republic 101.9% compare
- 86 Marshall Islands 101.8% compare
- 87 Gibraltar 101.8% compare
- 89 Guatemala 101.5% compare
- 90 Austria 101.3% compare
- 91 Switzerland 101.2% compare
More education data for South Africa
- 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in South Africa?
- School enrollment, primary in South Africa was 101.8% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 107.3% in 2015.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.1% in 1986.
- How does South Africa rank for school enrollment, primary?
- South Africa ranks 88th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.