Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa
South Africa: Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled was 5.50 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa, 1989–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2023, secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa stood at 5.50 million. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa peaked at 5.50 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.55 million, in 1989.
That places South Africa 23rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 2.55 million | — |
| 1990 | 2.74 million | +7.4% |
| 1991 | 2.94 million | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 3.15 million | +7.2% |
| 1993 | 3.36 million | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 3.57 million | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 3.74 million | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 3.91 million | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 4.08 million | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 4.24 million | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 4.24 million | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 4.14 million | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 4.25 million | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 4.35 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 4.45 million | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 4.59 million | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 4.66 million | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 4.79 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 4.82 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 4.67 million | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 4.69 million | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 4.69 million | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.76 million | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 4.84 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 5.03 million | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 5.22 million | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 5.28 million | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 5.04 million | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 4.94 million | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 4.88 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 5.04 million | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 5.10 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 5.35 million | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 5.38 million | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.50 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.55 million | 2.55 million | 2.55 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.60 million | 2.74 million | 4.24 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.54 million | 4.14 million | 4.82 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.97 million | 4.69 million | 5.28 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.33 million | 5.10 million | 5.50 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa?
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in South Africa was 5.50 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest secondary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.50 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest secondary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.55 million in 1989.
- How does South Africa rank for secondary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- South Africa ranks 23rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is secondary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Secondary education, pupils with 698 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Secondary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Secondary education, pupils with 698 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.