South Africa's primary education, pupils was 7.52 million in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 6.47% from 7.06 million in 2013 (0.63% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 7.52 million | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | 7.57 million | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | 7.06 million | 2013 |
| Highest | 8.16 million | 1995 |
| Lowest | 3.99 million | 1970 |
| Average since 2014 | 7.56 million | 2014–2023 |
| First recorded | 3.99 million |
What the numbers say
In 2023, South Africa's primary education, pupils fell 1.4% on 2022 (from 7.63 million to 7.52 million).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2022), the average change was +1.3% and a typical year strayed about 6.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 33.7% in 1989 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.2% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 30,749 a year. A straight line explains 38% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2023, South Africa had the 7th highest value of the 44 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 7.52 million | 2023 |
| World | 780.85 million | 2024 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 196.8 million | 2024 |
| Upper middle income | 237.35 million | 2024 |
Closest to South Africa in the 2023 ranking
- Iran, Islamic Rep. — 4th of 44: 9.09 million
- Kenya — 5th of 44: 8.04 million
- Russian Federation — 6th of 44: 7.55 million
- Afghanistan — 8th of 44: 7.51 million
- Japan — 9th of 44: 6.25 million
- Türkiye — 10th of 44: 5.54 million
What this measures
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 42 values
| Year | Primary education, pupils |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 7,521,185 |
| 2022 | 7,630,776 |
| 2021 | 7,698,124 |
| 2020 | 7,716,039 |
| 2019 | 7,688,381 |
| 2018 | 7,568,387 |
| 2017 | 7,532,082 |
| 2016 | 7,509,476 |
| 2015 | 7,555,842 |
| 2014 | 7,195,183 |
| 2013 |
Primary education, pupils in nearby economies
- Angola — 5.38 million (2023)
- Benin — 2.4 million (2022)
- Botswana — 381,674 (2022)
- Burkina Faso — 3.07 million (2024)
- Burundi — 2.52 million (2025)
- Cabo Verde — 61,167 (2022)
- Cameroon — 5.29 million (2024)
- Central African Republic — 813,767 (2016)
- Chad — 3.05 million (2024)
- Comoros — 102,152 (2024)
- Congo, Dem. Rep. — 21.15 million (2023)
- Congo, Rep.
More education data for South Africa
- Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 14 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 101.77% (2023)
- School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 99.21% (2023)
- School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 104.32% (2023)
- Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) — 19.14% (2025)
- Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 6.02% (2024)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is South Africa's primary education, pupils?
- 7.52 million in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1970?
- It is up 88.57% from 3.99 million in 1970 (1.2% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 8.16 million in 1995 and the lowest 3.99 million in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank?
- 7th highest of 44 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for South Africa?
- In 2023, South Africa's primary education, pupils fell 1.4% on 2022 (from 7.63 million to 7.52 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2022), the average change was +1.3% and a typical year strayed about 6.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
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