Data series, Education
Adult literacy rate, ages 20 and older
87.0%
Series id education-literacy. This page and its downloads keep the same address when new figures are added.
Proportion of adults aged 20 and older who can read and write, as recorded in the 2022 National Census. This represents significant improvement from 85.0% in 2011. The next census is expected in 2032.
Source: Statistics South Africa, Census 2022 Statistical Release. Source released . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Every value
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-10 | 87.0% |
Changes to this series
No revisions by the publisher have been recorded for this series. SA Data Hub started recording them on 7 November 2026; earlier revisions are not listed.
SA Data Hub's update log for this dataset
, correction
Retired the story "Matric 2024: an 87.3% pass rate and persistent inequalities". Its provincial pass rates and its claims about international reading tests could not be traced to a release SA Data Hub holds. Its address now redirects to "Matric 2025: 88.0% passed, and 345 857 qualified for a degree", where every figure cites the Department of Basic Education's 2025 NSC Examination Report with its table and page.
, data update
Matric pass rate updated to 2025 (88%, DBE announcement 2026-01-12). One-decimal figure (88.0) is inferred; denominator not verified from the DBE NSC report (D3b). Literacy and university enrolment unchanged.
, data update
NSC exam results and education indicators updated from latest DBE release.
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You may reuse this series under CC BY 4.0. Credit Statistics South Africa as the original source and SA Data Hub as the place you got it.
Cite this series
Statistics South Africa (2023). Census 2022 Statistical Release. Series "Adult literacy rate, ages 20 and older" via SA Data Hub, https://sadatahub.tech/series/education-literacy (checked 2026-10-19).
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