Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa

South Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female was 97.9% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
97.9%
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
126th
of 188 countries
All-time high
104.8%
in 1998
All-time low
97.9%
in 2018
Years of data
19
1998–2018

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa, 1998–2018

02550751001998200820181998: 104.8 %1999: 104.2 %2000: 98.3 %2001: 99.6 %2002: 101.2 %2003: 100.6 %2004: 101.9 %2005: 102.3 %2006: 102.8 %2007: 103.2 %2008: 102.4 %2009: 102.9 %2010: 102.8 %2011: 102.3 %2012: 102.3 %2015: 102.9 %2016: 102.4 %2017: 100.3 %2018: 97.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 97.9% for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.

That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa peaked at 104.8% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 97.9%, in 2018.

South Africa ranks 126th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female (%) in South Africa, 1998 to 2018.
Year % Change
1998 104.8%
1999 104.2% -0.5%
2000 98.3% -5.6%
2001 99.6% +1.2%
2002 101.2% +1.7%
2003 100.6% -0.6%
2004 101.9% +1.3%
2005 102.3% +0.4%
2006 102.8% +0.5%
2007 103.2% +0.4%
2008 102.4% -0.7%
2009 102.9% +0.5%
2010 102.8% -0.1%
2011 102.3% -0.5%
2012 102.3% -0.0%
2015 102.9% +0.6%
2016 102.4% -0.5%
2017 100.3% -2.1%
2018 97.9% -2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 104.5% 104.2% 104.8% 2
2000s 101.5% 98.3% 103.2% 10
2010s 101.6% 97.9% 102.9% 7

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 123 Hungary 98.6% compare
  2. 124 Palestine 98.5% compare
  3. 125 South Korea 98.5% compare
  4. 127 Cuba 97.4% compare
  5. 128 Solomon Islands 97.1% compare
  6. 129 Paraguay 97.0% compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa?
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa was 97.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 104.8% in 1998.
What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 97.9% in 2018.
How does South Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female?
South Africa ranks 126th out of 188 countries with data for 2018.
Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/gross-enrolment-ratio-primary-and-lower-secondary-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
233 places, 4,500 data points, 1981–2020
Last refreshed

Total female enrollment in primary and lower secondary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the female population of official primary and lower secondary education age. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.