Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium
Belgium: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 12.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium, 1981–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 12.0% for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in 2022.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium peaked at 12.5% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 1995.
That places Belgium 110th out of 197 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 10.3% | — |
| 1982 | 9.3% | -10.0% |
| 1986 | 8.6% | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 8.2% | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 8.2% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 10.2% | +24.7% |
| 1994 | 10.3% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | -43.3% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 11.2% | +89.5% |
| 2008 | 12.5% | +11.6% |
| 2009 | 11.8% | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 11.9% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 11.6% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 12.2% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 12.3% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 12.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 11.6% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 11.6% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 12.0% | +3.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 12.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 1.0× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 12.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.9%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +89.5% | 5.9% | 11.2% |
| 1995 | -43.3% | 10.3% | 5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.9% | 8.2% | 10.3% | 5 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 5.8% | 10.3% | 4 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 11.2% | 12.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 11.6% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 11.6% | 12.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More education data for Belgium
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 137,795 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 17,384 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 221,494 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,503 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0691 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Belgium was 12.0% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 12.5% in 2008.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 1995.
- How does Belgium rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Belgium ranks 110th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release