Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa
South Africa: Teachers in primary education, female was 225,583 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa, 1991–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 225,583 for teachers in primary education, female in 2023. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 225,583 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 124,929, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 21st of 212 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 158,118 | — |
| 1994 | 124,929 | -21.0% |
| 1995 | 165,398 | +32.4% |
| 1997 | 132,436 | -19.9% |
| 1999 | 172,543 | +30.3% |
| 2000 | 160,337 | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 148,221 | -7.6% |
| 2002 | 168,930 | +14.0% |
| 2003 | 157,093 | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 159,599 | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 176,026 | +10.3% |
| 2006 | 167,807 | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 168,573 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 169,969 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 163,791 | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 183,568 | +12.1% |
| 2011 | 167,744 | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 167,967 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 174,011 | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 172,502 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 196,319 | +13.8% |
| 2023 | 225,583 | +14.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 150,685 | 124,929 | 172,543 | 5 |
| 2000s | 164,035 | 148,221 | 176,026 | 10 |
| 2010s | 177,018 | 167,744 | 196,319 | 6 |
| 2020s | 225,583 | 225,583 | 225,583 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.65 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0578 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 3.87 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.55 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0612 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.22 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 13.45 % change on previous year (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, female in South Africa?
- Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa was 225,583 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 225,583 in 2023.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 124,929 in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for teachers in primary education, female?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is teachers in primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. 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 Teachers in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release