Total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa

South Africa: Total net enrolment rate, primary, female was 89.8% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
89.8%
Change on year
down 5.1%
World rank
142nd
of 189 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 2015
All-time low
68.2%
in 1970
Years of data
15
1970–2018

Total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa, 1970–2018

0204060801001970199420181970: 68.2 %1991: 89 %1994: 90.2 %1995: 90.8 %1998: 91.8 %1999: 92.9 %2000: 91.2 %2001: 92.5 %2002: 93.7 %2003: 94.8 %2004: 95.4 %2005: 95.5 %2015: 100 %2017: 94.7 %2018: 89.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 89.8% for total net enrolment rate, primary, female in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.1% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa peaked at 100.0% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 68.2%, in 1970.

That places South Africa 142nd out of 189 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Total net enrolment rate, primary, female (%) in South Africa, 1970 to 2018.
Year % Change
1970 68.2%
1991 89.0% +30.4%
1994 90.2% +1.4%
1995 90.8% +0.7%
1998 91.8% +1.0%
1999 92.9% +1.3%
2000 91.2% -1.9%
2001 92.5% +1.4%
2002 93.7% +1.4%
2003 94.8% +1.1%
2004 95.4% +0.6%
2005 95.5% +0.2%
2015 100.0% +4.7%
2017 94.7% -5.3%
2018 89.8% -5.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 68.2% 68.2% 68.2% 1
1990s 90.9% 89.0% 92.9% 5
2000s 93.8% 91.2% 95.5% 6
2010s 94.8% 89.8% 100.0% 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 139 Benin 90.4% compare
  2. 140 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 90.4% compare
  3. 141 Gambia 90.0% compare
  4. 143 Guatemala 89.5% compare
  5. 144 Botswana 89.5% compare
  6. 145 Suriname 89.3% compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa?
Total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa was 89.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest total net enrolment rate, primary, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2015.
What is the lowest total net enrolment rate, primary, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 68.2% in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for total net enrolment rate, primary, female?
South Africa ranks 142nd out of 189 countries with data for 2018.
Is total net enrolment rate, primary, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. 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 Total net enrolment rate, primary, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total net enrolment rate, primary, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/total-net-enrolment-rate-primary-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total net enrolment rate, primary, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
189 places, 4,340 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of female students of the official age group for primary education who are enrolled in any level of education, expressed as a percentage of the corresponding female population. Divide the total number of female students in the official school age range for primary education who are enrolled in any level of education by the female population of the same age group and multiply the result by 100. The difference between the total NER and the adjusted NER provides a measure of the proportion of children in the official relevant school age group who are enrolled in levels of education below the one intended for their age. The difference between the total NER and the adjusted NER for primary education is due to enrolment in pre-primary education. The total NER should be based on total enrolment of the official relevant school age group in any level of education for all types of schools and education institutions, including public, private and all other institutions that provide organized educational programmes.