Government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea: Government expenditure on education, total was 3.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
3.5%
Change on year
up 20.6%
World rank
191st
of 193 countries
All-time high
10.7%
in 2017
All-time low
2.9%
in 2022
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea, 2015–2023

2468102015201920232015: 7.2 % of government expenditure2016: 4.1 % of government expenditure2017: 10.7 % of government expenditure2018: 9.2 % of government expenditure2019: 3.6 % of government expenditure2020: 3.8 % of government expenditure2021: 3.2 % of government expenditure2022: 2.9 % of government expenditure2023: 3.5 % of government expenditure

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea is 3.5%, measured in 2023.

The figure is up 20.6% on the previous year and down 51.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea peaked at 10.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 2022.

That places Papua New Guinea 191st out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in Papua New Guinea, 2015 to 2023.
Year % of government expenditure Change
2015 7.2%
2016 4.1% -43.5%
2017 10.7% +161.5%
2018 9.2% -13.8%
2019 3.6% -61.2%
2020 3.8% +6.8%
2021 3.2% -14.9%
2022 2.9% -9.7%
2023 3.5% +20.6%

Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries

  • Papua New Guinea's 3.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.3%, 25% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Papua New Guinea's 3.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12.3%, 29% of the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 7.0% 3.6% 10.7% 5
2020s 3.4% 2.9% 3.8% 4

Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea

  1. 188 Dominica 5.8% compare
  2. 189 Eritrea 5.4%
  3. 190 Timor-Leste 4.3% compare
  4. 192 Nigeria 3.0% compare
  5. 193 South Sudan 0.0% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More education data for Papua New Guinea

All data for Papua New Guinea →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea?
Government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea was 3.5% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Papua New Guinea?
The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 2017.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Papua New Guinea?
The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 2022.
How does Papua New Guinea rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Papua New Guinea ranks 191st out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
Over the last ten years it is down 51.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Papua New Guinea 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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Government expenditure on education, total in Papua New Guinea. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-government-expenditure/papua-new-guinea/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)
Unit
% of government expenditure
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
239 places, 5,722 data points, 1980–2025
Last refreshed

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.