Expenditure on primary education in Malawi
Malawi: Expenditure on primary education was 43.9% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on primary education in Malawi, 1971–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on primary education in Malawi is 43.9%, measured in 2016.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Malawi peaked at 65.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 31.8%, in 1971.
Malawi ranks 36th of 149 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 31.8% | — |
| 1972 | 35.3% | +11.0% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 38.0% | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 43.5% | +14.5% |
| 1976 | 43.9% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 33.0% | -24.8% |
| 1987 | 36.7% | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 40.4% | +10.2% |
| 1989 | 32.6% | -19.3% |
| 1990 | 40.3% | +23.6% |
| 1995 | 44.1% | +9.5% |
| 1996 | 57.9% | +31.2% |
| 1999 | 65.3% | +12.8% |
| 2000 | 52.8% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 45.2% | -14.4% |
| 2003 | 54.9% | +21.4% |
| 2010 | 34.8% | -36.7% |
| 2011 | 34.6% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 36.7% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 49.5% | +34.7% |
| 2015 | 44.0% | -11.2% |
| 2016 | 43.9% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 38.1% | 31.8% | 43.9% | 6 |
| 1980s | 35.7% | 32.6% | 40.4% | 4 |
| 1990s | 51.9% | 40.3% | 65.3% | 4 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 45.2% | 54.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 40.6% | 34.6% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 primary education in Malawi?
- Expenditure on primary education in Malawi was 43.9% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 65.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.8% in 1971.
- How does Malawi rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Malawi ranks 36th out of 149 countries with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Expenditure on primary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Expenditure on primary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.