June 16 is Youth Day in South Africa, commemorating the sacrifice paid by the youth who participated in the Soweto uprising in 1976. The day is also recognised as the Day of the African Child on the African continent and celebrated every year. The theme for the year is “To educate an African Child Fit for the 21st Century”.

Physical and economic barriers to education, subpar educational quality, and insufficient funding to the education sector continue to hinder the realisation of children’s rights to education throughout the continent of Africa.¹

The population census allows us to view the long-term change in levels of education attainment reached by South African youth. Those aged 15–24 years with no formal education decreased from 5,5% in 1996 to 1,6% in 2022 with non-completion of primary education declining significantly from 14,9% to 2,9%.

Notably, the percentage of secondary school completion more than doubled from 16,8% in 1996 to 37,3% in 2022. Furthermore, diploma and certificate graduates almost tripled from 1,4% in 1996 to 3,5% in 2024.

South Africa’s journey toward educational equity has been marked by significant reforms since the advent of democracy in 1994. These reforms include the establishment of no-fee schools, school nutrition programs, the Child Support Grant (CSG), improved access to scholar transport, and the introduction of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) that have all had impacts in relation to school attendance and dropout rates.

¹ Concept Note for the Day of the African Child 2024 read here