Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa
South Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female was 35.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa is 35.0%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.9% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa peaked at 49.0% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 32.0%, in 2012.
That places South Africa 49th out of 58 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 49.0% | — |
| 1996 | 48.0% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 39.0% | -18.8% |
| 2009 | 36.0% | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 40.0% | +11.1% |
| 2011 | 34.0% | -15.0% |
| 2012 | 32.0% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 41.0% | +28.1% |
| 2015 | 36.0% | -12.2% |
| 2019 | 36.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 38.0% | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 35.0% | -7.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.0% | 49.0% | 49.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 48.0% | 48.0% | 48.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 37.5% | 36.0% | 39.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 36.5% | 32.0% | 41.0% | 6 |
| 2020s | 36.5% | 35.0% | 38.0% | 2 |
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 youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in South Africa was 35.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.0% in 1980.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.0% in 2012.
- How does South Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 58 countries with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. 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 Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release