Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number) in South Africa
South Africa: Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number) was 181,739 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Teachers in secondary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1991–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 181,739 for teachers in secondary education, both sexes in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in secondary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 192,359 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 113,215, in 1991.
That places South Africa 38th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 113,215 | — |
| 1998 | 143,804 | +27.0% |
| 1999 | 144,949 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 147,612 | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 154,960 | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 146,643 | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 149,046 | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 149,375 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 141,562 | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 158,544 | +12.0% |
| 2007 | 164,990 | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 168,556 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 187,162 | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 190,022 | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 192,359 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 191,493 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 187,854 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 179,504 | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 182,070 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 181,739 | -0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 181,739 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34,286, 5.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 181,739 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,714, 5.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +27.0% | 113,215 | 143,804 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 133,989 | 113,215 | 144,949 | 3 |
| 2000s | 156,845 | 141,562 | 187,162 | 10 |
| 2010s | 191,291 | 190,022 | 192,359 | 3 |
| 2020s | 182,792 | 179,504 | 187,854 | 4 |
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 teachers in secondary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes in South Africa was 181,739 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 192,359 in 2016.
- What is the lowest teachers in secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 113,215 in 1991.
- How does South Africa rank for teachers in secondary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 38th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is teachers in secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. 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 secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release