Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Uganda

Uganda: Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 2.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
2.6%
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
164th
of 199 countries
All-time high
5.1%
in 1988
All-time low
1.7%
in 1983
Years of data
25
1971–2022

Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Uganda, 1971–2022

23451971199620221971: 3.2 %1973: 3.4 %1974: 3.4 %1975: 3.2 %1976: 2.7 %1982: 2.5 %1983: 1.7 %1984: 2.4 %1985: 3.4 %1988: 5.1 %2000: 2.5 %2004: 5 %2010: 1.7 %2011: 2.3 %2012: 1.8 %2013: 1.9 %2014: 1.9 %2015: 2.3 %2016: 2.1 %2017: 2.3 %2018: 2.1 %2019: 2.3 %2020: 2.6 %2021: 2.6 %2022: 2.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2022, government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Uganda stood at 2.6%.

The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and up 42.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Uganda peaked at 5.1% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1983.

Uganda ranks 164th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Uganda, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP (%) in Uganda, 1971 to 2022.
Year % Change
1971 3.2%
1973 3.4% +6.0%
1974 3.4% +1.2%
1975 3.2% -5.0%
1976 2.7% -16.9%
1982 2.5% -6.0%
1983 1.7% -32.9%
1984 2.4% +43.8%
1985 3.4% +41.3%
1988 5.1% +48.7%
2000 2.5% -51.8%
2004 5.0% +101.2%
2010 1.7% -65.1%
2011 2.3% +33.1%
2012 1.8% -21.8%
2013 1.9% +4.1%
2014 1.9% +2.3%
2015 2.3% +21.2%
2016 2.1% -7.9%
2017 2.3% +5.4%
2018 2.1% -5.5%
2019 2.3% +8.3%
2020 2.6% +11.4%
2021 2.6% +2.5%
2022 2.6% -2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3.2% 2.7% 3.4% 5
1980s 3.0% 1.7% 5.1% 5
2000s 3.7% 2.5% 5.0% 2
2010s 2.1% 1.7% 2.3% 10
2020s 2.6% 2.6% 2.6% 3

Countries ranked near Uganda

  1. 161 Malawi 2.7% compare
  2. 162 Bahamas 2.7% compare
  3. 163 Sierra Leone 2.6% compare
  4. 165 Liechtenstein 2.6% compare
  5. 166 Thailand 2.5% compare
  6. 167 Angola 2.5% compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More education data for Uganda

All data for Uganda →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Uganda?
Government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Uganda was 2.6% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Uganda?
The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1988.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Uganda?
The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1983.
How does Uganda rank for government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp?
Uganda ranks 164th out of 199 countries with data for 2022.
Is government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Uganda?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Uganda data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Uganda. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-percent/uganda/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
199 places, 5,141 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release