Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 20.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone, 2000–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone is 20.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 36.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone peaked at 35.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 2011.
Sierra Leone ranks 14th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20.7% | — |
| 2001 | 18.0% | -13.3% |
| 2002 | 17.7% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 17.1% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 15.5% | -9.6% |
| 2007 | 19.8% | +27.3% |
| 2008 | 14.9% | -24.4% |
| 2009 | 15.9% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 12.8% | -19.5% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 14.1% | +13.9% |
| 2013 | 15.2% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 15.1% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 12.5% | -17.4% |
| 2017 | 19.9% | +59.5% |
| 2018 | 32.7% | +64.6% |
| 2019 | 35.0% | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 34.2% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 33.4% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | -12.1% |
| 2024 | 20.0% | -32.0% |
| 2025 | 20.5% | +2.9% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 20.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.4%, 1.4× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 20.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.4% | 14.9% | 20.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 12.4% | 35.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 27.5% | 20.0% | 34.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 11 Botswana 21.5% compare
- 12 Senegal 20.9% compare
- 13 Dominican Republic 20.9% compare
- 15 Mozambique 20.4% compare
- 16 Costa Rica 20.4% compare
- 17 Burkina Faso 20.3% compare
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (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 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2393 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sierra Leone was 20.5% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 35.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 2011.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Sierra Leone ranks 14th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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