Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa

South Africa: Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) was 16.7% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
16.7%
Change on year
up 12.1%
World rank
23rd
of 156 countries
All-time high
17.4%
in 1999
All-time low
7.6%
in 2002
Years of data
6
1999–2017

Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa, 1999–2017

0510151999200820171999: 17.4 %2001: 10.4 %2002: 7.6 %2003: 13.8 %2015: 14.9 %2017: 16.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2017, repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa stood at 16.7%.

The figure is up 12.1% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa peaked at 17.4% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 7.6%, in 2002.

That places South Africa 23rd out of 156 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades), male (%) in South Africa, 1999 to 2017.
Year % Change
1999 17.4%
2001 10.4% -40.1%
2002 7.6% -26.7%
2003 13.8% +80.4%
2015 14.9% +8.1%
2017 16.7% +12.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 17.4% 17.4% 17.4% 1
2000s 10.6% 7.6% 13.8% 3
2010s 15.8% 14.9% 16.7% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 20 Congo 18.2% compare
  2. 21 Suriname 17.2% compare
  3. 22 Lesotho 17.2% compare
  4. 24 Côte d'Ivoire 14.0% compare
  5. 25 Argentina 13.7% compare
  6. 26 Malawi 13.7% compare

See the full ranking of 156 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa?
Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa was 16.7% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.4% in 1999.
What is the lowest repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 7.6% in 2002.
How does South Africa rank for repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades)?
South Africa ranks 23rd out of 156 countries with data for 2017.
Is repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades), male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/repetition-rate-in-lower-secondary-general-education-all-grades-male-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Repetition rate in lower secondary general education (all grades), male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
156 places, 1,981 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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