Total net enrolment rate, primary, male in South Africa

South Africa: Total net enrolment rate, primary, male was 88.2% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
88.2%
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
151st
of 189 countries
All-time high
93.5%
in 2005
All-time low
67.1%
in 1970
Years of data
15
1970–2018

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

0204060801001970199420181970: 67.1 %1991: 85.3 %1994: 88.1 %1995: 88.6 %1998: 88.6 %1999: 89.8 %2000: 89.1 %2001: 89.6 %2002: 90.6 %2003: 92.3 %2004: 93.3 %2005: 93.5 %2015: 91.4 %2017: 90.3 %2018: 88.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 88.2% for total net enrolment rate, primary, male in 2018.

That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total net enrolment rate, primary, male in South Africa peaked at 93.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 67.1%, in 1970.

That places South Africa 151st 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, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Total net enrolment rate, primary, male (%) in South Africa, 1970 to 2018.
Year % Change
1970 67.1%
1991 85.3% +27.1%
1994 88.1% +3.3%
1995 88.6% +0.7%
1998 88.6% -0.0%
1999 89.8% +1.3%
2000 89.1% -0.7%
2001 89.6% +0.6%
2002 90.6% +1.1%
2003 92.3% +1.8%
2004 93.3% +1.1%
2005 93.5% +0.2%
2015 91.4% -2.2%
2017 90.3% -1.2%
2018 88.2% -2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 67.1% 67.1% 67.1% 1
1990s 88.1% 85.3% 89.8% 5
2000s 91.4% 89.1% 93.5% 6
2010s 89.9% 88.2% 91.4% 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 148 Honduras 89.0% compare
  2. 149 Ethiopia 88.7% compare
  3. 150 Botswana 88.4% compare
  4. 152 Romania 87.6% compare
  5. 153 Panama 87.1% compare
  6. 154 Bulgaria 86.6% 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, male in South Africa?
Total net enrolment rate, primary, male in South Africa was 88.2% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest total net enrolment rate, primary, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 93.5% in 2005.
What is the lowest total net enrolment rate, primary, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 67.1% in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for total net enrolment rate, primary, male?
South Africa ranks 151st out of 189 countries with data for 2018.
Is total net enrolment rate, primary, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total net enrolment rate, primary, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/total-net-enrolment-rate-primary-male-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total net enrolment rate, primary, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
189 places, 4,339 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of male students of the official age group for primary education who are enrolled in any level of education, expressed as a percentage of the corresponding male population. Divide the total number of male students in the official school age range for primary education who are enrolled in any level of education by the male 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.