Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa

South Africa: Teachers in primary education, female was 196,319 number in 2015. ▲ Rising

Latest (2015)
196,319 number
Change on year
up 13.8%
World rank
23rd
of 196 countries
All-time high
196,319 number
in 2015
All-time low
124,929 number
in 1994
Years of data
21
1991–2015

Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa, 1991–2015

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k1991200320151991: 158.1k number1994: 124.9k number1995: 165.4k number1997: 132.4k number1999: 172.5k number2000: 160.3k number2001: 148.2k number2002: 168.9k number2003: 157.1k number2004: 159.6k number2005: 176.0k number2006: 167.8k number2007: 168.6k number2008: 170.0k number2009: 163.8k number2010: 183.6k number2011: 167.7k number2012: 168.0k number2013: 174.0k number2014: 172.5k number2015: 196.3k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2015, teachers in primary education, female in South Africa stood at 196,319 number. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.8% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 196,319 number in 2015 and was at its lowest, 124,929 number, in 1994.

That places South Africa 23rd out of 196 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in primary education, female (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2015.
Year number Change
1991 158,118 number
1994 124,929 number -21.0%
1995 165,398 number +32.4%
1997 132,436 number -19.9%
1999 172,543 number +30.3%
2000 160,337 number -7.1%
2001 148,221 number -7.6%
2002 168,930 number +14.0%
2003 157,093 number -7.0%
2004 159,599 number +1.6%
2005 176,026 number +10.3%
2006 167,807 number -4.7%
2007 168,573 number +0.5%
2008 169,969 number +0.8%
2009 163,791 number -3.6%
2010 183,568 number +12.1%
2011 167,744 number -8.6%
2012 167,967 number +0.1%
2013 174,011 number +3.6%
2014 172,502 number -0.9%
2015 196,319 number +13.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 150,685 number 124,929 number 172,543 number 5
2000s 164,035 number 148,221 number 176,026 number 10
2010s 177,018 number 167,744 number 196,319 number 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 20 Germany 213,874 number compare
  2. 21 France 202,491 number compare
  3. 22 Iraq 197,420 number compare
  4. 24 Iran, Islamic Republic of 193,158 number compare
  5. 25 Türkiye 184,096 number compare
  6. 26 Algeria 182,122 number compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in primary education, female in South Africa?
Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa was 196,319 number in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 196,319 number in 2015.
What is the lowest teachers in primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 124,929 number in 1994.
How does South Africa rank for teachers in primary education, female?
South Africa ranks 23rd out of 196 countries with data for 2015.
Is teachers in primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. 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.

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Teachers in primary education, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-primary-education-female-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Teachers in primary education, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 7,410 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of female teachers in public and private primary education institutions. Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions.