Government expenditure on education, total in Uganda

Uganda: Government expenditure on education, total was 2.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
2.6%
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
162nd
of 196 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, total in Uganda, 1971–2022

23451971199620221971: 3.2 % of GDP1973: 3.4 % of GDP1974: 3.4 % of GDP1975: 3.2 % of GDP1976: 2.7 % of GDP1982: 2.5 % of GDP1983: 1.7 % of GDP1984: 2.4 % of GDP1985: 3.4 % of GDP1988: 5.1 % of GDP2000: 2.5 % of GDP2004: 5 % of GDP2010: 1.7 % of GDP2011: 2.3 % of GDP2012: 1.8 % of GDP2013: 1.9 % of GDP2014: 1.9 % of GDP2015: 2.3 % of GDP2016: 2.1 % of GDP2017: 2.3 % of GDP2018: 2.1 % of GDP2019: 2.3 % of GDP2020: 2.6 % of GDP2021: 2.6 % of GDP2022: 2.6 % of GDP

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure on education, total in Uganda is 2.6%, measured in 2022.

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, total in Uganda peaked at 5.1% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1983.

That places Uganda 162nd out of 196 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Government expenditure on education, total in Uganda, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Uganda, 1971 to 2022.
Year % of GDP 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. 159 Malawi 2.7% compare
  2. 160 Bahamas 2.7% compare
  3. 161 Sierra Leone 2.6% compare
  4. 163 Liechtenstein 2.6% compare
  5. 164 Thailand 2.5% compare
  6. 165 Angola 2.5% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Uganda

All data for Uganda →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Uganda?
Government expenditure on education, total in Uganda was 2.6% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Uganda?
The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1988.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Uganda?
The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1983.
How does Uganda rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Uganda ranks 162nd out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is government expenditure on education, total 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 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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Government expenditure on education, total in Uganda. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/uganda/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 6,340 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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.