Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes was 97.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1990–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa is 97.1%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 97.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 64.8%, in 1999.
South Africa ranks 47th of 165 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.3% | — |
| 1998 | 78.6% | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 64.8% | -17.6% |
| 2001 | 86.0% | +32.8% |
| 2002 | 84.1% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 82.5% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 86.5% | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 92.3% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 96.9% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 96.7% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 96.4% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 94.5% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 97.1% | +2.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 97.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.5%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 97.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 74.6%, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +32.8% | 64.8% | 86.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.9% | 64.8% | 78.6% | 3 |
| 2000s | 84.2% | 82.5% | 86.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 93.1% | 86.5% | 96.9% | 4 |
| 2020s | 96.0% | 94.5% | 97.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- Survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in South Africa was 97.1% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.8% in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 165 countries with data for 2022.
- Is survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release