Government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Government expenditure on education, total was 1.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka, 1973–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 1.8% for government expenditure on education, total in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 51.8% on the previous year and up 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2022.
That places Sri Lanka 184th out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 3.3% | — |
| 1975 | 2.7% | -17.2% |
| 1979 | 2.6% | -6.5% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 2.4% | -9.7% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | -6.6% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -9.4% |
| 1985 | 2.6% | +19.0% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | -5.7% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | +6.9% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -12.5% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | +20.9% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 3.0% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +13.1% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | -32.6% |
| 2010 | 1.7% | -19.2% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -16.6% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +18.8% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +13.5% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | +53.0% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -19.7% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -23.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -21.6% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | -20.1% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +51.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.3% | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 3.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Sri Lanka was 1.8% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Sri Lanka ranks 184th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.