1. The document presents statistics on education in South Africa, including educational attainment, literacy rates, enrolment, and progression ratios. 2. It finds that while educational attainment has increased for all groups since 1950, black Africans started from the lowest level and remain behind other groups. 3. The highest levels of education are found in Gauteng and the cities of Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Buffalo City, while illiteracy is above 10% in some rural districts.

1. Education Series Volume III:
Educational Enrolment and Achievement, 2016
Dr Pali Lehohla
Statistician-General

2. Objectives
Enrich the body of knowledge on education
statistics:
Educational attainment,
Literacy,
Average years of education received
by school phases,
Enrolments,
Mode of transports used to get to
educational institutions, and
Intergenerational educational mobility

3. Education Series
Volume iii
Data Sources
Educational enrolment
and achievements
2016

4. Context
NDP by 2030 MTSF by 2017SDGs by 2030
About 80% of schools and
learners achieve > 50% in
literacy, mathematics and
science in Gr 3, 6, 9
Achievement of universal
access to 2 years of ECD
exposure before Gr 1
At least 80% of students
should complete 12 years of
schooling
Free, equitable and quality
education
Access to quality ECD and
pre-primary education
Access to affordable tertiary
education
Increase the number of youth and
adults with relevant skills for
employment
Eliminate gender disparities,
ensure equal access for
vulnerable, people with disabilities
and indigenous people
Ensure that all youth and a
substantial proportion of adults
achieve literacy and numeracy
All children between the ages of 7
and 18 should be in school in
school and 65% of learners
should be in class groups
appropriate to their age
The number of learners
qualifying for university entrance
should be 250 000
The number of students enrolled at
TVET to increase to 1,238 mil
The number of students enrolled
at university to increase to 1,07 m

5. Great consistency between the different data
sources for all population groups

6. Progression ratio plots for individuals who completed Grade 9 after completing Grade 3, by
population group, for 2001, 2011 and 2016
2001: Black/African
2011: Black/African
2016: Black/African
2001: Coloured
2011: Coloured
2016: Coloured
0.000
0.100
0.200
0.300
0.400
0.500
0.600
0.700
0.800
0.900
1.000
1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Proportion
Year
1:The gap in throughput
between whites and Indians
declined dramatically between
1950 and 2016.
2:Black Africans started from the lowest base
and even though their rate of catching up
mirrors that of the coloured population as
evidenced by the similar gradient of their lines,
they remain behind when computing attainment
ratios for Grade 9 after completing Grade3.

7. Black/African
Coloured
Indian/Asian
White
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Proportion
Year
Black/African
Coloured
Indian/Asian
White
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Proportion
Year
Progression ratios of persons who completed
grade 7 after they completed grade 3 by
population group, Census 2011
Progression ratios of persons who
completed grade 9 after they completed
grade 3 by population group, Census 2011
Black/African
Coloured
Indian/Asia
n
White
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Proportion
Year
Progression ratios of persons who
completed grade 12 after completing
Grade 3 by population group, Census
2011
For progression from Grade 3 to Grade 7, a
significant improvement is noted for black
Africans with near parity with the coloured
population reached in 2011
Progression ratios for black Africans for
completing Grade 9, after having
completed Grade 3, are lower than for all
other population groups.
In the case of Grade 12, similar, albeit
slightly higher progression ratios have
been found for black African students
than for coloured students.
A slight decline in the transition to
Grade 9 and 12 after completing
Grade 3 has been found for whites
towards 2011

8. Completion of Certificate and Bachelors after
completing grade 12

9. Progression ratio plots for completion of, at least certificate and at least a Bachelor after
completing Grade 12, by population group, 2011
Bach: Black/African
Bach: Coloured
Bach: Indian/Asian
Bach: White
Cert: Black/African
Cert: Coloured
Cert: Indian/Asian
Cert: White
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Proportion
Year
Throughput for a Bachelor degree was equally
low for black Africans and coloureds
The possibility of completing at least a certificate after
completing Grade 12, has been consistently higher
than that of completing at least a Bachelor degree
after completing Grade 12 for all population groups.

10. Progression ratio plots for completion of, at least certificate and at least a Bachelor after
completing Grade 12, by population group, 2011
Bach: Black/African
Bach: Coloured
Bach: Indian/Asian
Bach: White
Cert: Black/African
Cert: Coloured
Cert: Indian/Asian
Cert: White
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Proportion
Year
For black Africans and the coloured population, an initial
increase in throughput or attainment ratios was observed
for both qualifications in the period between 1950 to the
mid-1980s. This increase started to reverse gradually
during the mid-1980s until its current levels, which are
even lower than what was achieved in the 1950s.

11. Absolute vs Proportions

12. 0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
50000
198619881990199219941996199820002002200420062008201020122014
Black White Indian Coloured
0.14
Black African
1.12
3.53
White
4.50
1.71
Indian/Asian
4.12
0.45
Coloured
1.18
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
4.50
5.00
1986 1996 2006 2014
Graduate rates per 1000 of Total Population Group*

13. Black
48686
White
20510
Indian
5529
Coloured
5622
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
50000
1986 1996 2006 2014
Absolute numbers of Graduates*
Black
White
Indian
Coloured
0.14
Black African
1.12
3.53
White
4.50
1.71
Indian/Asian
4.12
0.45
Coloured
1.18
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
4.50
5.00
1986 1996 2006 2014
Graduate rates per 1000 of Total Population Group*
Source: Adapted from HE Broekhuizen (Hemis
Aggregate Figures) Excludes undergraduate diplomas
and certificates
Source: Adapted from HE Broekhuizen (Hemis
Aggregate Figures ) with addition of population
estimates for time points Excludes undergraduate
diplomas and certificates
Absolute vs Proportions

14. Trends in educational attainment

15. Uptake of Grade R and Grade 1 Enrolment 2010-2015
2010,
1,197,000
2011,
1,258,000
2012,
1,258,000
2013,
1,212,000
2014,
1,165,000
2015,
1,222,000
2010,
686,000
2011,
698,000
2012,
690,000
2013,
633,000
2014,
647,000
2015,
657,000
Grade 1
Grade R
Higher uptake of Grade 1 enrolment from 2010 to 2015 compared
to Grade R attendance

16. People age 15 and above who have completed grade 12
1996
2016
3,7M
11,6M
Matriculates
211%
increase over the
20 year period of
The largest increase
occurred between 2001 and 2011 with
69% growth of individuals who
achieved Matric as their highest level
education
Source: Census 1996, 2001, 2011 and Community Survey 2016

17. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
Numberinthousands
Age
1996 2001
2011 2016
There was a two percentage
point drop in achievement between 2011 and 2016
1996
2001
2016
2016
Distribution of people 15 and above who have completed higher
education by age
Substantial increases in achievement were observed
between 1996 and 2011.

18. Educational Output

19. 7.1 2.8 2.5 1.6 6.0
15.1
17.1
5.5
13.6
68.7 71.9
71.1
59.1
68.2
9.1 8.1
21.0
38.3
12.1
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
100.0
Black African Coloured Indian/Asian White RSA
Percentage
Secondary
Primary
Educational attainment among individuals aged 25-64 by
population group, 2016
Post Secondary
No Schooling
Whites and Indians have the
highest proportion of
post-secondary graduates
Large number of black Africans who dropped out of
school with some primary education level (3 million)
Majority (13,4 million) reached
secondary education

20. WC
13,4%
GP
38,0%
EC
8,3%
NC
1,5%
KZN
16,0%
MP
6,0%
LP
8,0%
NW
4,4%
4,4%
FS
Post-secondary education attainment among individuals aged
25-64 by province, 2016
Gauteng has the highest
percentage of individuals
with post-secondary
education; 38% compared
to other provinces
Source: Community Survey 2016

21. Education attainment among individuals aged 25-64 by
metropolitan municipalities, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016
Tshwane
22,1%
Ekurhuleni
13,2%
Johannesburg
16,2%
Buffalo City
15,7%
eThekwini
12,1%
NMB
12,1%
Cape Town
15,5%
Mangaung
15,1%
Most of the metros, have
the lowest percentage of
individuals with no
schooling
City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg
and Buffalo City municipalities have the highest
percentages of individuals with Primary
Education

22. Education attainment among individuals aged 25-64 by
metropolitan municipalities, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016
Tshwane
65,9%
Ekurhuleni
73,3%
Johannesburg
71,8%
Buffalo City
69,2%
eThekwini
74,3%
NMB
75,3%
Cape Town
71,7%
Mangaung
66,1%
Secondary education was most
commonly attained in all metros

23. Upper secondary completion rate by age, 2016 FET band
(Grade 10, 11 and 12)
54.6%
73.4%
69.7%
65.9%
63.2%
56.3%
47.3%
38.4%
31.3%
24.6%
23.7%
21.9%
23.0%
20.0%
13.2%
55.1%
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0 100.0
15–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65–69
70-74
75–79
80–84
85+
RSA
Percentage
The youth were more likely than
other age groups to have completed
an upper secondary qualification
Source: Community Survey 2016

24. Distribution of the adult population aged 25-64 by gender, geo-
type and literacy status, 2016
88,9%
of urban adults
indicated that they
were literate
74,5%
residing in traditional
areas
73,5%
of youth resident
in farm areas
were literate
Source: Community Survey 2016

25. High illiteracy rates of youth aged 15-34 by districts, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016
Districts with illiteracy
levels of 10% and higher

26. 2.0%
2,0
4.9%
4.9%
5.2%
5.2%
5.4%
6.1%
6.8%
7.3%
8.8%
10.4%
14.1%
25.1%
29.7%
English
Afrikaans
IsiNdebele
Tshivenda
IsiZulu
Sepedi
Sesotho
South Africa
Setswana
SiSwati
IsiXhosa
Xitsonga
Other
Khoi
Sign Language
Illiterate
Distribution of the population age 15-34 by literacy status and
language, 2016
Low illiteracy among English
and Afrikaans speaking youth
Moderate illiteracy among
other languages, Xitsonga, and
IsiXhosa
High illiteracy rate among sign
language and Khoi language
speaking youth
%
Source: Community Survey 2016

27. Odds ratio estimates on effect on educational attainment among
individuals aged 25-64
Whites have 3,678 times greater odds of high levels of education than black Africans
Tshivenda speakers have 1,470 times greater odds of high levels of education than IsiZulu
speakers
Individuals staying in households with 4 members have 1,118 times greater odds of high levels
of education than those with less than 4 members
Effect Odds Ratio
White 3,678
English 2,609
Tshivenda 1,47
Sepedi 1,249
Setswana 1,24
SiSwati 1,193
Afrikaans 1,187
Household size of four 1,118
Rented dwelling 1,089

28. Access to Education

29. Enrolments at educational institutions, 2016
39%
124%
112%
4%
30.9%
115.1%
82.8%
2.4%
28.6%
115.9%
85.9%
5.6%
55.1%
116.7%
99.7%
4.5%
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
140.0
ECD Primary Secondary Post-secondary
Black African Coloured Indian/Asian White
More white children enrol
in ECD institutions
compared to the other
population groups.
The gross enrolment rate for black Africans in
primary school was 124,3% showing the high number
of enrolment of learners outside the school-age range
Source: Community Survey 2016

30. Current attendance of post-secondary institutions for individuals
aged 17-40, 2016
14.0%
3.8%
4.0%
4.5%
4.3%
4.4%
5.3%
5.1%
5.6%
6.0%
6.6%
6.6%
7.5%
8.6%
10.3%
11.7%
14.5%
16.9%
21.5%
27.8%
28.3%
32.7%
34.7%
34.9%
18.3%
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0
RSA
40
39
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
Percentage
Age
The peak in enrolment levels occurred
among young individuals aged 18–19,
with close to 70% of them attending
some post-secondary institutions.
A decline is observed in enrolment levels from
20-year-olds and older, with a sharp decline after age
23.
Source: Community Survey 2016

31. 4.3
34%
23%
52%
2%
55%
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
403938373635343332313029282726252423222120191817
Current attendance at post-secondary institutions for individuals
aged 17–40 by population group, 2016
Current post-secondary institution attendance rates among
individuals aged 17–40 varied by population group and were the
highest among the white population at 21,2%.
Despite the large number of black African students at higher
educational institutions, the percentage of black Africans aged
17–40 who were enrolled at post-secondary institutions remains
disproportionally low at 13,8%
Source: Community Survey 2016

32. 24%
18%
8%
7%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
5%
3%
2%
1%
1%
Engineering
Management
Office administration
Finance, Economics and Accounting
Marketing
Electrical infrastructure construction
Information Technology and Computer Science
Education and Development
Civil engineering and building construction
Hospitality
Tourism
Safety in society
Mechatronics
Primary agriculture
1 in 5 study
engineering
Agriculture has the least
proportion of students
Distribution of TVET attendance by field of study, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016

33. Individuals aged 15–24 by school attendance status and
disability status, 2016
Not
disabled Disabled
53,7%
%
RSA
Slightly less than half of individuals aged
15-24 living with disability were not in education
Not attending
46,3%
48,3%
51,7%
53,9%
46,1%Attending
Source: Community Survey 2016

34. Trends in percentage of 15-34 by enrolment status,
1996 to 2016
1996 2016
38,4%
31,5%
There has been a decline of 7% in the enrolment of individuals aged
15-34 in education from 1996 to 2016
Source: Census 1996, 2001 and 2011 and Community Survey, 2016

35. Mean years of schooling by population group, 2016
8.3
8.7
10.2
11.4
8.7
10.3 10.3
11.7 12.0
10.4
Black African Coloured Indian/Asian White South Africa
7 years and older 15-34 years old
Black Africans spend on average the shortest time in schooling (8,3 years)
Whites spent the longest period at an educational institution, with an average of 11,4
years of schooling
Source: Community Survey 2016

36. Time taken in minutes walking to educational institution by
geographical type
1,9%
For more than
90 for minutes
For 15-30 minutes
48,9%
residing in urban
areas
44,1%
residing in farm
areas
50,8%
residing in
traditional areas
0,4% 2,9%
Source: Community Survey 2016

37. Intergenerational
educational mobility

38. Current participation in tertiary education among individuals
aged 20-34 years old by their parents’ educational attainment
55.0 63.0 58.5 57.5 55.8 52.1 52.9
45.0 37.0 41.5 42.5 44.2 47.9 47.1
No
schooling
Incomplete
primary
Completed
primary
Incomplete
secondary
Completed
secondary
Higher
education
Other
Male
Female
The gender gap in favour of female
students is the biggest for students whose
parents have educational levels of
incomplete secondary or lower
Participants aged 20-34 in
post-secondary education
were mostly females
Source: Community Survey 2016

39. Highest level of education by education phases of parents and
adults aged 20-34 in South Africa, 2016
14.5%
20.1%
7.1%
32.3%
17.9%
7.5%
0.6%2.7% 3.2% 2.3%
37.4%
45.2%
8.2%
0.9%
No schooling Incomplete
primary
Completed
primary
Incomplete
secondary
Completed
secondary
Higher
education
Other
Parents
Adults aged 20-34
While 14,5% of parents did not have any
schooling, the proportion of children in this
category is five times less at 2,7%
Source: Community Survey 2016

40. No schooling
9.6
7.2 2.0
Incomplete secondary
20.2
Completed secondary
25.8
Post-secondary
33.1
2.0
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0 100.0
24
Percentage
Age
No schooling Incomplete primary Completed primary Incomplete secondary Completed secondary Post-secondary Other
Incomplete Primary
Completed Primary
Current participation in post-secondary education among individuals aged 24 by their
parents' educational attainment, 2016

41. 23%
50%
44%
24%
19%
70%
23%
43%
70%
75%
8%
27%
9%
6%
6%
South Africa
White
Indian/Asian
Coloured
Black African
Inter-generational mobility among individuals aged 20-34 who
only completed secondary schooling by population group, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016
Same educational attainment
(parent completed secondary)
Upward mobility(parent lower
than secondary attainment)
Downward mobility (parent
tertiary attainment)
For the children who completed secondary schooling the majority
(70%) attained education levels better than their parents

42. Intergenerational mobility among individuals aged 20-34 who
completed post secondary education, 2016
Source: Community Survey 2016
19,4% of individuals aged 20-34 who
completed post-secondary education had
parents who had completed primary and
lower attainment
51,3% of individuals aged 20-34
who completed post-secondary
education had parents who had
completed secondary
19,4% 51,3%

43. Percentage of adult individuals aged 20 and older who have attained a post-secondary
university qualification by type of qualification and population group, 2016
42.3% 42.1%
29.4%
27.4%
57.7% 57.9%
70.6%
72.6%
Black African Coloured Indian/Asian White
Certificates/diplomas Degrees
Among black African
university graduates, while
58% had a degree the rest
42% either had diplomas or
certificates
Close to 73% of white
graduates had degrees and
only 27% had lesser
qualifications
Source: Community Survey 2016

44. No schooling
17.1
Some primary
22.8
Some secondary
32.1%
Completed secondary
26.3
Post-secondary
11.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
No schooling Some primary Completed primary Some secondary Completed secondary Post-secondary Other
Unemployment rate by level of education among population aged
15–64, 2008–2015 QLFS, 2008-2015
The highest unemployment
rate was among those who
dropped out without
completing secondary
schooling.
Unemployment rates were
the lowest among
post-secondary
qualification holders

45. Youth (15-34 years) labour market rates by education level
Absorption rate Labour Force Participation Rate Unemployment rate
Graduates have better labour market outcomes with low unemployment rate , high
participation and high absorption rate.

46. 1 656
3 236
6 731
8 069
2 531
Black African Coloured Indian/Asian White RSA
White-headed households spent three times as much on education as
compared to the national average. Indian/Asian and coloured-headed households
spent approximately R6 731 and R3 236, respectively
Household expenditure on education by population group of
household head, 2015
Source: Community Survey 2016

47. THANK YOU