Population censuses record considerable volumes of personal information, which when aggregated and tabulated provide significant insights into national societies. South African censuses have recorded levels of educational attainment since their inception in the mid-nineteenth century, initially measuring literacy and later the level of education completed. The statistics demonstrate deep long-term inequalities within South African society and the changing emphases placed upon them by governments of widely varying viewpoints. Temporal changes have been of constant concern, with the comparison of the results of one census with another to assess the effectiveness of government programmes. However, it has been the differences based on race or population group that have attracted most attention and remain the most contentious in the post-apartheid era. The census collects comprehensive statistical information independent of other sources and so provides a highly valuable and reliable record for a wide variety of investigations.