Government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho
Lesotho: Government expenditure on education, total was 10.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho, 1983–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2024, government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho stood at 10.4%. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.7% on the previous year and down 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho peaked at 32.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 144th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 29.4% | — |
| 1984 | 20.8% | -29.2% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | +10.1% |
| 1988 | 15.2% | -33.6% |
| 1989 | 15.4% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 22.7% | +48.1% |
| 1994 | 18.4% | -19.1% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 26.1% | +29.0% |
| 1999 | 23.4% | -10.3% |
| 2000 | 19.1% | -18.1% |
| 2001 | 23.0% | +20.0% |
| 2002 | 23.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 31.5% | +34.1% |
| 2004 | 27.2% | -13.8% |
| 2005 | 32.5% | +19.8% |
| 2006 | 29.0% | -11.0% |
| 2008 | 24.2% | -16.4% |
| 2015 | 13.9% | -42.5% |
| 2016 | 14.0% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 14.1% | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 11.0% | -21.9% |
| 2024 | 10.4% | -5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.7% | 15.2% | 29.4% | 5 |
| 1990s | 22.2% | 18.4% | 26.1% | 5 |
| 2000s | 26.2% | 19.1% | 32.5% | 8 |
| 2010s | 14.3% | 13.9% | 15.1% | 4 |
| 2020s | 10.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Lesotho was 10.4% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 32.5% in 2005.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Lesotho ranks 144th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 government expenditure). 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 total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.