IDA total vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total
Government expenditure on education, total over time
- IDA total
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 19.1% against 14.0% in IDA total, a difference of 5.1%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.4 times IDA total's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 23 shared years of data; in 1999 it was IDA total ahead.
IDA total ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 26th of 46 groups.
Across the 4 decades both report, IDA total averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | IDA total | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.8% | 0.0% | 14.8% | IDA total |
| 2000s | 16.3% | 16.7% | 0.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 15.7% | 18.8% | 3.1% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 19.0% | 4.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, IDA total or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 19.1% against 14.0% in IDA total as of 2025.
- What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between IDA total and South Africa?
- 5.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for IDA total and South Africa?
- 23 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2024.
- How do IDA total and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
- IDA total ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 26th of 46 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.