Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini
Eswatini: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 19.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2025, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini stood at 19.2%.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini peaked at 25.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 15.3%, in 2021.
That places Eswatini 23rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 23.8% | — |
| 1982 | 20.4% | -14.2% |
| 1987 | 20.5% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 21.8% | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 25.1% | +15.2% |
| 1990 | 23.5% | -6.4% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | -14.7% |
| 1995 | 20.7% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 21.8% | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 20.4% | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 18.7% | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 19.7% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 17.3% | -12.0% |
| 2003 | 22.1% | +27.6% |
| 2004 | 21.1% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 20.9% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 22.7% | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 21.8% | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 19.4% | -11.1% |
| 2010 | 18.3% | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 22.3% | +22.2% |
| 2012 | 21.4% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 17.2% | -19.6% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +43.9% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | -33.8% |
| 2016 | 16.6% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 18.7% | +12.8% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | -7.7% |
| 2019 | 18.5% | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | -14.1% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 16.6% | +8.3% |
| 2023 | 16.9% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 19.4% | +14.3% |
| 2025 | 19.2% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.3% | 20.4% | 25.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 21.3% | 20.0% | 23.5% | 5 |
| 2000s | 20.4% | 17.3% | 22.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 19.1% | 16.4% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 15.3% | 19.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 20 Kyrgyzstan 19.6% compare
- 21 Vanuatu 19.3% compare
- 22 Tajikistan 19.3% compare
- 24 Peru 19.2% compare
- 25 Syrian Arab Republic 19.2% compare
- 26 South Africa 19.1% compare
More education data for Eswatini
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7,225 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,165 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12,768 (2015)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11,269 (2015)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 108,288 (2016)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 222,351 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.236 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1807 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Eswatini was 19.2% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.3% in 2021.
- How does Eswatini rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Eswatini ranks 23rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eswatini 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