Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi
Malawi: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 16.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi, 1986–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2024, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi stood at 16.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi peaked at 21.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1986.
That places Malawi 48th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.0% | — |
| 1988 | 0.0% | — |
| 1989 | 0.0% | — |
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1999 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 0.0% | — |
| 2001 | 0.0% | — |
| 2003 | 16.5% | — |
| 2010 | 12.5% | -24.5% |
| 2011 | 15.0% | +20.8% |
| 2012 | 13.6% | -9.3% |
| 2013 | 20.5% | +50.3% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | -19.0% |
| 2015 | 21.8% | +31.3% |
| 2016 | 17.2% | -21.1% |
| 2017 | 14.3% | -16.6% |
| 2018 | 15.8% | +10.4% |
| 2020 | 20.2% | +27.3% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | -12.9% |
| 2023 | 16.0% | -8.9% |
| 2024 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 0.0% | 16.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 12.5% | 21.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 16.0% | 20.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 45 Panama 16.3% compare
- 46 Guinea-Bissau 16.2% compare
- 47 Israel 16.1% compare
- 49 Republic of Moldova 16.0% compare
- 50 Puerto Rico 16.0% compare
- 51 El Salvador 15.9% compare
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Malawi was 16.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 21.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1986.
- How does Malawi rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Malawi ranks 48th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release