Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia
Zambia: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 14.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia, 1981–2025
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 Zambia is 14.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.7% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia peaked at 20.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1981.
Zambia ranks 65th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | — |
| 1993 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | — |
| 1998 | 0.0% | — |
| 1999 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 8.4% | — |
| 2004 | 10.6% | +26.7% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -27.0% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -19.4% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | -9.3% |
| 2010 | 19.9% | +251.5% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 17.5% | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | +15.4% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | -17.1% |
| 2016 | 15.7% | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | +14.4% |
| 2019 | 15.3% | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 12.4% | -19.1% |
| 2021 | 11.5% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 13.9% | +20.4% |
| 2024 | 15.4% | +11.0% |
| 2025 | 14.5% | -5.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 14.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.3%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 14.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +251.5% | 5.7% | 19.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7 |
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7 |
| 2000s | 7.7% | 5.7% | 10.6% | 5 |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 14.9% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.5% | 11.5% | 15.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 62 Philippines 15.2% compare
- 63 Congo 14.7% compare
- 64 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 14.6% compare
- 66 Djibouti 14.5% compare
- 67 Norway 14.5% compare
- 68 Russian Federation 14.3% compare
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 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 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Zambia was 14.5% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1981.
- How does Zambia rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Zambia ranks 65th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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 — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release