School enrollment, secondary in South Africa
South Africa: School enrollment, secondary was 104.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, secondary in South Africa, 1989–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
In 2023, school enrollment, secondary in South Africa stood at 104.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, secondary in South Africa peaked at 106.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 63.8%, in 1989.
South Africa ranks 46th of 203 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
School enrollment, secondary in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 63.8% | — |
| 1990 | 67.8% | +6.2% |
| 1991 | 72.5% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 87.0% | +20.0% |
| 1998 | 82.8% | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 79.1% | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 74.3% | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 73.9% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 74.4% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 75.5% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 78.3% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 80.4% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 83.8% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 85.5% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 84.0% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 86.0% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 86.6% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 88.9% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 92.2% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 101.2% | +9.8% |
| 2015 | 104.6% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 103.9% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 105.6% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 101.4% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 103.8% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 103.5% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 106.4% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 104.5% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 104.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 63.8% | 63.8% | 63.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 77.8% | 67.8% | 87.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 79.6% | 73.9% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.7% | 86.6% | 105.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 104.7% | 103.5% | 106.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 enrollment, secondary in South Africa?
- School enrollment, secondary in South Africa was 104.1% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, secondary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 106.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, secondary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.8% in 1989.
- How does South Africa rank for school enrollment, secondary?
- South Africa ranks 46th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school enrollment, secondary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. 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, secondary (% 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. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.