Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes was 82.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
82.9%
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
17th
of 36 countries
All-time high
84.1%
in 2022
All-time low
71.0%
in 2021
Years of data
6
2016–2024

Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa, 2016–2024

0204060802016202020242016: 79.3 %2020: 77.9 %2021: 71 %2022: 84.1 %2023: 84 %2024: 82.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 82.9% for total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 84.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 71.0%, in 2021.

That places South Africa 17th out of 36 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes (%) in South Africa, 2016 to 2024.
Year % Change
2016 79.3%
2020 77.9% -1.7%
2021 71.0% -8.9%
2022 84.1% +18.5%
2023 84.0% -0.1%
2024 82.9% -1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 79.3% 79.3% 79.3% 1
2020s 80.0% 71.0% 84.1% 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 14 Kenya 85.7% compare
  2. 15 Kyrgyzstan 84.6% compare
  3. 16 Nepal 83.9% compare
  4. 18 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 81.9% compare
  5. 19 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 81.8%
  6. 20 El Salvador 78.3% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa?
Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa was 82.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 84.1% in 2022.
What is the lowest total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 71.0% in 2021.
How does South Africa rank for total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 17th out of 36 countries with data for 2024.
Is total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. 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 Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/total-net-attendance-rate-upper-secondary-both-sexes-percent-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total net attendance rate, upper secondary, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
36 places, 427 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release