South Africa: School enrollment, primary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, South Africa's school enrollment, primary (% gross) fell 0.63 percentage points on 2022 (from 102.4% to 101.77%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2022), the average change was +0.88 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.74 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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 24.44 percentage points in 1989 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.22 percentage points in 1978. 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 downward, about 0.39 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 35% 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 21st highest value of the 42 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.

Closest to South Africa in the 2023 ranking

• Belgium — 18th of 42: 102.11%
• Greece — 19th of 42: 102.02%
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 20th of 42: 101.96%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 22nd of 42: 101.2%
• Croatia — 23rd of 42: 101.16%
• Japan — 24th of 42: 101.13%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 42 values

School enrollment, primary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Angola — 86.74% (2023)
• Benin — 108.04% (2022)
• Botswana — 109.27% (2022)
• Burkina Faso — 77.17% (2024)
• Burundi — 100.63% (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 102.97% (2022)
• Cameroon — 114.41% (2024)
• Central African Republic — 96.81% (2016)
• Chad — 88.46% (2024)
• Comoros — 97% (2024)
• Congo, Dem. 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)
• Primary education, pupils — 7.52 million (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

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Questions people ask

What is South Africa's school enrollment, primary (% gross)?

101.77% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 1.66 percentage points from 100.11% in 1970. The highest value was 107.31% in 2015 and the lowest 79.08% in 1986.

How does South Africa rank?

21st highest of 42 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, primary (% gross) unusual for South Africa?

In 2023, South Africa's school enrollment, primary (% gross) fell 0.63 percentage points on 2022 (from 102.4% to 101.77%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2022), the average change was +0.88 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.74 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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.ENRR, 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.

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