Expenditure on secondary education in Zambia
Zambia: Expenditure on secondary education was 23.3% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on secondary education in Zambia, 1970–2017
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
In 2017, expenditure on secondary education in Zambia stood at 23.3%.
That represents a change of up 18.3% on the previous year and up 61.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on secondary education in Zambia peaked at 42.7% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 13.3%, in 2004.
Zambia ranks 121st of 149 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Expenditure on secondary education in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.1% | — |
| 1971 | 33.4% | -10.0% |
| 1972 | 36.0% | +7.7% |
| 1973 | 39.1% | +8.6% |
| 1974 | 38.2% | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 33.5% | -12.4% |
| 1976 | 31.4% | -6.1% |
| 1977 | 29.7% | -5.5% |
| 1978 | 26.7% | -10.1% |
| 1979 | 28.7% | +7.4% |
| 1980 | 25.6% | -10.8% |
| 1981 | 42.7% | +66.8% |
| 1982 | 33.8% | -20.7% |
| 1983 | 38.5% | +13.8% |
| 1984 | 38.5% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 29.0% | -24.7% |
| 1986 | 30.9% | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 28.7% | -6.9% |
| 1991 | 18.5% | -35.7% |
| 1992 | 19.2% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | -21.4% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | +17.0% |
| 1995 | 18.4% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 25.8% | +40.1% |
| 2004 | 13.3% | -48.4% |
| 2005 | 14.5% | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +71.9% |
| 2016 | 19.7% | -20.8% |
| 2017 | 23.3% | +18.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.4% | 26.7% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.5% | 25.6% | 42.7% | 8 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 15.1% | 19.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 17.9% | 13.3% | 25.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 22.7% | 19.7% | 24.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
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 secondary education in Zambia?
- Expenditure on secondary education in Zambia was 23.3% in 2017, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on secondary education recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 1981.
- What is the lowest expenditure on secondary education recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.3% in 2004.
- How does Zambia rank for expenditure on secondary education?
- Zambia ranks 121st out of 149 countries with data for 2017.
- Is expenditure on secondary education rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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 secondary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expenditure on secondary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.