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The 2024 school year has kicked off, which means heads down and books out for your children.

Just don’t tell them that South Africa has one of the toughest education systems in the world as it could end up in them claiming more ‘mental health days’ than you are willing to allow.

The new study by MastersDegree.net has listed some of the world’s toughest education systems, taking into account factors like the education system’s structure, the country’s most challenging exam, tertiary education attainment, the most popular degree, the prevalence of stress among students, the acceptance rate of the best college in that country, and average national IQ scores.

The study does not aim to rank but simply list some of the world’s most challenging education systems that are recognised for their rigorous and demanding nature.

Take a look at the tally, showing some of the toughest education systems in the world:

Image: MastersDegree.net

The Education System Structure column shows that students in SA go through 4 years of primary education, followed by 3 years of lower secondary education, then 3 years of upper secondary education, and 3 years of tertiary education.

The Hardest Exam is the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam, or the ‘matric’ exam, which is a significant yearly event in South Africa. They mark the end of twelve years of formal education and serve as a gauge of the education system’s overall health, notes MastersDegree.net. The first national exam under the new democratic government took place in November 1996, using a highly decentralised approach.

The Stress Level Among Students is at 58.2% for females and 41.8% for males who say they experience mental distress.

Our country’s Most Popular Degrees include Business, Economics, and Health. The average IQ is 69.

The gross tertiary enrollment ratio remained steady at approximately 25.24% in 2021. However, 2021 marked a peak in the gross tertiary enrollment ratio for South Africa at 25.24%.

One of the best universities in South Africa, The University of Cape Town, has an acceptance rate of approximately 50%.

While several factors shape a country’s education system, such as its culture, government rules, and economic situation, it seems South Africans have a particularly low IQ score compared to the other countries listed. One might easily point to Apartheid for disenfranchising the majority of our population for years, disallowing proper and fair education, resulting in major gaps in knowledge and skills today.

[source:mastersdegree]