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

South Africa: Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education was 9.8% in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
9.8%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
32nd
of 172 countries
All-time high
17.8%
in 1990
All-time low
5.0%
in 2001
Years of data
6
1990–2017

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

51015201990200320171990: 17.8 %2001: 5 %2002: 5.9 %2003: 11.9 %2015: 9.8 %2017: 9.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education in South Africa is 9.8%, measured in 2017.

That represents a change of down 17.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education in South Africa peaked at 17.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2001.

South Africa ranks 32nd of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Annual values for Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, female (%) in South Africa, 1990 to 2017.
Year % Change
1990 17.8%
2001 5.0% -72.0%
2002 5.9% +19.0%
2003 11.9% +101.4%
2015 9.8% -17.8%
2017 9.8% -0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 17.8% 17.8% 17.8% 1
2000s 7.6% 5.0% 11.9% 3
2010s 9.8% 9.8% 9.8% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 29 Lebanon 10.7% compare
  2. 30 Barbados 10.2% compare
  3. 31 Mozambique 10.1% compare
  4. 33 Aruba 9.4% compare
  5. 34 Guyana 8.9% compare
  6. 35 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.7% compare

See the full ranking of 172 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 in South Africa?
Repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education in South Africa was 9.8% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 1990.
What is the lowest repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2001.
How does South Africa rank for repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education?
South Africa ranks 32nd out of 172 countries with data for 2017.
Is repetition rate in grade 1 of lower secondary general education rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/repetition-rate-in-grade-1-of-lower-secondary-general-education-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
172 places, 3,110 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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