Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa

South Africa: Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both was 13.8% in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
13.8%
Change on year
up 8.6%
World rank
31st
of 178 countries
All-time high
18.5%
in 1990
All-time low
5.5%
in 2001
Years of data
8
1990–2017

Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa, 1990–2017

51015201990200320171990: 18.5 %1998: 16.9 %1999: 16.5 %2001: 5.5 %2002: 6.8 %2003: 12.7 %2015: 12.7 %2017: 13.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 13.8% for repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in 2017.

That represents a change of up 8.6% on the previous year and up 8.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa peaked at 18.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 2001.

That places South Africa 31st out of 178 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (%) in South Africa, 1990 to 2017.
Year % Change
1990 18.5%
1998 16.9% -8.5%
1999 16.5% -2.2%
2001 5.5% -66.8%
2002 6.8% +23.3%
2003 12.7% +87.9%
2015 12.7% -0.3%
2017 13.8% +8.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 17.3% 16.5% 18.5% 3
2000s 8.3% 5.5% 12.7% 3
2010s 13.2% 12.7% 13.8% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 28 Malawi 14.6% compare
  2. 29 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14.6% compare
  3. 30 New Caledonia 14.2%
  4. 32 Lesotho 13.8% compare
  5. 33 Guyana 13.4% compare
  6. 34 Comoros 13.0% compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa?
Repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa was 13.8% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 1990.
What is the lowest repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 2001.
How does South Africa rank for repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both?
South Africa ranks 31st out of 178 countries with data for 2017.
Is repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/repetition-rate-in-grade-1-of-lower-secondary-general-education-both-sexes-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
178 places, 3,631 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of repeaters in a given grade in a given school year, expressed as a percentage of enrolment in that grade the previous school year. Divide the number of repeaters in a given grade in school year t+1 by the number of pupils from the same cohort enrolled in the same grade in the previous school year t.