School enrollment, secondary in South Africa
South Africa: School enrollment, secondary was 71.9% in 2017. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, secondary in South Africa, 1994–2017
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % net.
Analysis
In 2017, school enrollment, secondary in South Africa stood at 71.9%.
The figure is down 20.6% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, secondary in South Africa peaked at 90.5% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 51.2%, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 96th of 154 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
School enrollment, secondary in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % net | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 51.2% | — |
| 1999 | 59.6% | +16.5% |
| 2000 | 58.9% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 59.7% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 63.5% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 65.1% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 66.2% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 90.5% | +36.9% |
| 2017 | 71.9% | -20.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 55.4% | 51.2% | 59.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 62.5% | 58.9% | 66.2% | 6 |
| 2010s | 81.2% | 71.9% | 90.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 93 Jamaica 74.0% compare
- 94 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 73.2% compare
- 95 Malaysia 72.2% compare
- 97 Belize 71.1% compare
- 98 Dominican Republic 70.6% compare
- 99 Cape Verde 70.4% compare
More education data for South Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 4 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 67.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 25.7% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 14 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 7 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 101.77 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 101.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, secondary in South Africa?
- School enrollment, secondary in South Africa was 71.9% in 2017, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, secondary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.5% in 2015.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, secondary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.2% in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for school enrollment, secondary?
- South Africa ranks 96th out of 154 countries with data for 2017.
- Is school enrollment, secondary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, secondary (% net). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. 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.