Government expenditure on education, PPP$ in South Africa
South Africa: Government expenditure on education, PPP$ was 57,830 millions in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
57,830 millions
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
21st
of 169 countries
All-time high
57,830 millions
in 2024
All-time low
13,630 millions
in 1991
Years of data
30
1991–2024
Government expenditure on education, PPP$ in South Africa, 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in millions.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 57,830 millions for government expenditure on education, ppp$ in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 44.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, ppp$ in South Africa peaked at 57,830 millions in 2024 and was at its lowest, 13,630 millions, in 1991.
South Africa ranks 21st of 169 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, PPP$ in South Africa, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13,630 millions | — |
| 1993 | 14,304 millions | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 14,622 millions | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 15,457 millions | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 18,254 millions | +18.1% |
| 2000 | 17,587 millions | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 17,700 millions | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 18,224 millions | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 18,375 millions | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 19,986 millions | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 21,531 millions | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 23,389 millions | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 25,012 millions | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 26,626 millions | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 30,482 millions | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 32,569 millions | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 34,986 millions | +7.4% |
| 2012 | 38,471 millions | +10.0% |
| 2013 | 37,373 millions | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 40,132 millions | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 40,720 millions | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 41,374 millions | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 43,340 millions | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 44,690 millions | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 46,248 millions | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 49,130 millions | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 50,304 millions | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 51,912 millions | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 56,377 millions | +8.6% |
| 2024 | 57,830 millions | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15,253 millions | 13,630 millions | 18,254 millions | 5 |
| 2000s | 21,891 millions | 17,587 millions | 30,482 millions | 10 |
| 2010s | 39,990 millions | 32,569 millions | 46,248 millions | 10 |
| 2020s | 53,111 millions | 49,130 millions | 57,830 millions | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.22 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 13.45 % change on previous year (2015)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.82 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.68 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 818,404 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 3.28 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, ppp$ in South Africa?
- Government expenditure on education, ppp$ in South Africa was 57,830 millions in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, ppp$ recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 57,830 millions in 2024.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, ppp$ recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,630 millions in 1991.
- How does South Africa rank for government expenditure on education, ppp$?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 169 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government expenditure on education, ppp$ rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on education, PPP$ (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release