Primary and Secondary education in South Africa

School life of young South Africans spans over 13 years or grades. The first year of education, grade R(reception year), is not compulsory, Grade 10,11and 12 are also not compulsory. Usually enroll into grade 1 at the age of six and a half. In South Africa the school year starts in mid-January and ends at the end of November or the beginning of December.

 The average learner-to-educator ratio schools was 31.5:1 ranging from 28.9:1 in the Free Sate to 33.2:1 in Limpopo. Private Schools generally have one teacher for every 20 scholars.

The gross enrollment ration for primary and secondary schools was 94 percent in 2007; this ratio is somewhat smaller when grade R is taken into consideration, because few parents register their children for the reception grade. The department of Education hopes to have grade R in all primary schools by 2010.