South Africa's secondary education, general pupils was 4.7 million in 2017, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 3.24% from 4.55 million in 2007 (0.32% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 4.7 million | 2017 |
| Five years earlier | 4.6 million | 2012 |
| Ten years earlier | 4.55 million | 2007 |
| Highest | 4.9 million | 2015 |
| Lowest | 542,194 | 1970 |
| Average since 2008 | 4.63 million | 2008–2017 |
| First recorded | 542,194 |
What the numbers say
In 2017, South Africa's secondary education, general pupils fell 1.7% on 2016 (from 4.78 million to 4.7 million).
Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2016), the average change was +4.3% and a typical year strayed about 9.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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 32.5% in 1994 and the biggest yearly fall was 14.5% in 1992. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2008 to 2017 the straight-line trend is upward, about 50,621 a year. A straight line explains 74% of the movement over 9 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 2017, South Africa had the 11th highest value of the 69 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 | 4.7 million | 2017 |
| World | 532 million | 2018 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 59.8 million | 2018 |
| Upper middle income | 172 million | 2018 |
Closest to South Africa in the 2017 ranking
- France — 8th of 69: 4.98 million
- Ethiopia — 9th of 69: 4.97 million
- Iran, Islamic Rep. — 10th of 69: 4.92 million
- Argentina — 12th of 69: 4.61 million
- United Kingdom — 13th of 69: 4.17 million
- Italy — 14th of 69: 3.04 million
What this measures
Secondary general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general education programs, including teacher training.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 30 values
| Year | Secondary education, general pupils |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 4,696,742 |
| 2016 | 4,778,550 |
| 2015 | 4,904,846 |
| 2014 | 4,858,085 |
| 2013 | no data |
| 2012 | 4,597,285 |
| 2011 | 4,534,439 |
| 2010 | 4,471,468 |
| 2009 | 4,418,904 |
| 2008 | 4,403,754 |
| 2007 |
Secondary education, general pupils in nearby economies
- Angola — 1.75 million (2016)
- Benin — 965,124 (2016)
- Botswana — 169,489 (2015)
- Burkina Faso — 1.25 million (2018)
- Burundi — 606,024 (2018)
- Cabo Verde — 52,143 (2018)
- Cameroon — 1.73 million (2016)
- Central African Republic — 132,695 (2017)
- Chad — 527,321 (2016)
- Comoros — 73,695 (2018)
- 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 (% 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)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is South Africa's secondary education, general pupils?
- 4.7 million in 2017, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1970?
- It is up 766.25% from 542,194 in 1970 (4.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 4.9 million in 2015 and the lowest 542,194 in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank?
- 11th highest of 69 economies with data for 2017.
- Is the latest change in secondary education, general pupils unusual for South Africa?
- In 2017, South Africa's secondary education, general pupils fell 1.7% on 2016 (from 4.78 million to 4.7 million). Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2016), the average change was +4.3% and a typical year strayed about 9.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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.SEC.ENRL.GC, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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