Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa
South Africa: Theoretical duration of lower secondary education was 2 years in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
199th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3 years
in 1970
All-time low
2 years
in 1997
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2 years for theoretical duration of lower secondary education in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa peaked at 3 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 2 years, in 1997.
South Africa ranks 199th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3 years | — |
| 1971 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 years | -33.3% |
| 1998 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7 years | 2 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 199 Aruba 2 years compare
- 199 Belgium 2 years compare
- 199 Bolivia 2 years compare
- 199 Brunei 2 years compare
- 199 Chile 2 years compare
- 199 Democratic Republic of Congo 2 years compare
- 199 Micronesia (country) 2 years compare
- 199 Kenya 2 years compare
- 199 Marshall Islands 2 years compare
- 199 Palau 2 years compare
- 199 Singapore 2 years compare
- 199 South Sudan 2 years compare
- 199 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 2 years compare
- 199 Samoa 2 years compare
- 199 Zambia 2 years compare
- 199 Zimbabwe 2 years compare
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 theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa?
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in South Africa was 2 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 years in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for theoretical duration of lower secondary education?
- South Africa ranks 199th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of lower secondary education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release