Teachers in primary education, male in South Africa

South Africa: Teachers in primary education, male was 52,784 number in 2015. ▼ Falling

Latest (2015)
52,784 number
Change on year
up 12.1%
World rank
34th
of 196 countries
All-time high
112,247 number
in 1991
All-time low
42,374 number
in 2001
Years of data
21
1991–2015

Teachers in primary education, male in South Africa, 1991–2015

025.0k50.0k75.0k100.0k1991200320151991: 112.2k number1994: 89.0k number1995: 59.5k number1997: 49.2k number1999: 48.3k number2000: 53.0k number2001: 42.4k number2002: 42.7k number2003: 54.1k number2004: 49.8k number2005: 57.0k number2006: 51.8k number2007: 51.7k number2008: 51.1k number2009: 48.5k number2010: 54.5k number2011: 45.7k number2012: 44.7k number2013: 46.5k number2014: 47.1k number2015: 52.8k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for teachers in primary education, male in South Africa is 52,784 number, measured in 2015.

The figure is up 12.1% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, male in South Africa peaked at 112,247 number in 1991 and was at its lowest, 42,374 number, in 2001.

That places South Africa 34th out of 196 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Teachers in primary education, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in primary education, male (number) in South Africa, 1991 to 2015.
Year number Change
1991 112,247 number
1994 88,961 number -20.7%
1995 59,498 number -33.1%
1997 49,232 number -17.3%
1999 48,270 number -2.0%
2000 52,963 number +9.7%
2001 42,374 number -20.0%
2002 42,670 number +0.7%
2003 54,105 number +26.8%
2004 49,843 number -7.9%
2005 56,973 number +14.3%
2006 51,775 number -9.1%
2007 51,735 number -0.1%
2008 51,096 number -1.2%
2009 48,505 number -5.1%
2010 54,464 number +12.3%
2011 45,696 number -16.1%
2012 44,690 number -2.2%
2013 46,533 number +4.1%
2014 47,077 number +1.2%
2015 52,784 number +12.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 71,642 number 48,270 number 112,247 number 5
2000s 50,204 number 42,374 number 56,973 number 10
2010s 48,541 number 44,690 number 54,464 number 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 31 Philippines 62,683 number compare
  2. 32 Madagascar 59,537 number compare
  3. 33 Spain 53,750 number compare
  4. 35 Angola 50,617 number compare
  5. 36 Poland 48,155 number compare
  6. 37 Malawi 45,877 number compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in primary education, male in South Africa?
Teachers in primary education, male in South Africa was 52,784 number in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 112,247 number in 1991.
What is the lowest teachers in primary education, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 42,374 number in 2001.
How does South Africa rank for teachers in primary education, male?
South Africa ranks 34th out of 196 countries with data for 2015.
Is teachers in primary education, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. 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 Teachers in primary education, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Teachers in primary education, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-primary-education-male-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Teachers in primary education, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 7,382 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of male teachers in public and private primary education institutions. Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/