South Africa directs hundreds of billions of rand each year toward education. Still, 32.1 percent of people aged 15 to 24 remain outside employment, education or training. Tertiary enrollment among youth reaches only 24.7 percent.
Key Takeaways
- 32.1% of South Africans aged 15–24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET) in 2022
- 21.2% of South Africans aged 15+ had completed at least upper secondary education in 2019
- 77.9% of learners in South Africa enrolled in primary education in 2022
- 15.2% of Grade 6 learners reported attending a school with inadequate learning materials in 2021 (South Africa)
- 33.0% of schools lacked adequate sanitation in 2019
- 24.0% of public schools had no access to computers in 2020 (South Africa)
- 26.0% of households reported children had less access to food during school closures in South Africa (2020)
- 3.0x higher probability of school attendance for youth in the top wealth quintile versus the bottom quintile (South Africa, 2017)
- 9.9% of teachers in public schools were reported as not qualified in 2021 (South Africa)
- R253.6 billion: basic education expenditure by the South African government in the 2023/24 fiscal year
- R274.9 billion: higher education expenditure by the South African government in the 2023/24 fiscal year
- R64.2 billion: TVET-related spending allocation in South Africa for 2023/24
In 2022, 32.1% of South African youth were NEET, despite strong primary enrolment and major education spending.
Related reading
01 · Category
Enrollment & Attainment8 stats
01
32.1% of South Africans aged 15–24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET) in 2022
02
21.2% of South Africans aged 15+ had completed at least upper secondary education in 2019
03
77.9% of learners in South Africa enrolled in primary education in 2022
04
67.1% of learners in South Africa enrolled in lower secondary education in 2022
05
24.7% of South African youth were enrolled in tertiary education in 2021
06
35.3% of South Africans aged 15+ had completed at least primary education in 2019
07
17.9% of South Africans aged 18–24 were not enrolled in education or training in 2022
08
94.1% of children aged 5–14 were in school in 2022 (South Africa)
Interpretation
Enrollment & Attainment Interpretation
In the Enrollment and Attainment landscape, the fact that 32.1% of South Africans aged 15 to 24 were NEET in 2022 while only 24.7% of youth were enrolled in tertiary education in 2021 points to a major gap in education participation beyond basic schooling.
02 · Category
Infrastructure & Technology4 stats
01
15.2% of Grade 6 learners reported attending a school with inadequate learning materials in 2021 (South Africa)
02
33.0% of schools lacked adequate sanitation in 2019
03
24.0% of public schools had no access to computers in 2020 (South Africa)
04
R5.6 billion: planned investment in school infrastructure upgrades for 2023/24
Interpretation
Infrastructure & Technology Interpretation
For South Africa’s infrastructure and technology in education, gaps remain significant with 24.0% of public schools lacking access to computers in 2020 and 33.0% lacking adequate sanitation in 2019, even as the government plans R5.6 billion in school infrastructure upgrades for 2023/24.
More related reading
03 · Category
Learning Outcomes & Equity5 stats
01
26.0% of households reported children had less access to food during school closures in South Africa (2020)
02
3.0x higher probability of school attendance for youth in the top wealth quintile versus the bottom quintile (South Africa, 2017)
03
9.9% of teachers in public schools were reported as not qualified in 2021 (South Africa)
04
23:1 learner–teacher ratio in South Africa’s primary schools (2022)
05
26:1 learner–teacher ratio in South Africa’s secondary schools (2022)
Interpretation
Learning Outcomes & Equity Interpretation
In South Africa’s learning outcomes and equity picture, access gaps are stark, with 26.0% of households reporting children had less access to food during school closures in 2020 and a 3.0x higher likelihood of school attendance for youth in the top wealth quintile compared with the bottom.
04 · Category
Education Spending & Financing6 stats
01
R253.6 billion: basic education expenditure by the South African government in the 2023/24 fiscal year
02
R274.9 billion: higher education expenditure by the South African government in the 2023/24 fiscal year
03
R64.2 billion: TVET-related spending allocation in South Africa for 2023/24
04
18.5% of the national budget was allocated to education in 2023/24 (sum of basic, higher and related education functions)
05
4.8% of GDP: total education expenditure (public + private) in South Africa (2021)
06
4.5% of households’ total spending was devoted to education in South Africa (2017/18)
Interpretation
Education Spending & Financing Interpretation
In the 2023/24 fiscal year South Africa allocated 18.5% of the national budget to education, with R253.6 billion for basic education, R274.9 billion for higher education, and R64.2 billion for TVET, showing that education financing is a major and broadly distributed government priority.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). South Africa Education Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/south-africa-education-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "South Africa Education Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/south-africa-education-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "South Africa Education Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/south-africa-education-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)