South Africa

Background Information

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

World Bank income group

Upper middle income

Percent of population aged 10-24

26% (UNFPA, 2020)

Total primary school age population (both sexes)

7,921,269 (UIS, 2020)

Total secondary school age population (both sexes)

4,995,806 (UIS, 2020)

Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18 (% of women aged 20-24)

6%

Source: UNSDG, 2003

Adolescent birth rate (per 1,000 women ages 15-19)

68

Source: UN Human Development Reports, 2018

Percentage of women who ever experienced physical violence since age 15 (% of women 15-49)

19%

Source: DHS, 2016

Percentage of married women employed in the last 12 months (% of married or in-union women 15-49)

47%

Source: DHS, 2016

Education Snapshot Back to Top

Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks (Years)

12

Source: UIS, 2019

Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure % GDP spent on education

Source: UIS, 2019

Proportion of schools with access to single-sex basic sanitation facilities

No data available

Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading

No data available

Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics

No data available

Completion rate

Primary school age

  • Female 98%

  • Male 95%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Lower secondary school age

  • Female 90%

  • Male 85%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Upper secondary school age

  • Female 52%

  • Male 45%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Out-of-school rate

Primary school

  • Female 1%

  • Male 1%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Lower secondary school

  • Female 4%

  • Male 5%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Upper secondary school

  • Female 23%

  • Male 17%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Programs Back to Top

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