Government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Government expenditure on education, total was 4.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1999–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Africa Eastern and Southern recorded 4.0% for government expenditure on education, total in 2023.
The figure is up 7.2% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 4.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2000.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th of 46 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 3.9% | — |
| 2000 | 3.6% | -7.2% |
| 2001 | 4.3% | +20.4% |
| 2004 | 3.7% | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 3.9% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 4.3% | +14.6% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | +15.3% |
| 2012 | 4.7% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -9.3% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -15.4% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +7.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 6 |
| 2010s | 4.6% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 10 Vanuatu 7.6% compare
- 11 Mauritania 7.6% compare
- 12 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 7.5% compare
- 13 Sweden 7.3% compare
- 14 Iceland 7.3% compare
- 15 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 6.9% compare
- 16 Kyrgyzstan 6.8% compare
More education data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 46.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 121.03 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1573 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 56.6% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.0% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Africa Eastern and Southern was 4.0% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 4.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2000.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.