Government expenditure on education, total in Singapore
Singapore: Government expenditure on education, total was 12.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in Singapore, 1981–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
Singapore recorded 12.0% for government expenditure on education, total in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Singapore peaked at 31.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1981.
Singapore ranks 111th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1988 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 20.3% | — |
| 2001 | 21.6% | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 21.4% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 24.8% | +15.6% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 22.3% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 22.5% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 23.2% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | +29.6% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | -27.4% |
| 2010 | 18.6% | -15.0% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | +55.4% |
| 2012 | 31.4% | +8.7% |
| 2013 | 28.8% | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 20.5% | -29.0% |
| 2015 | 17.7% | -13.6% |
| 2016 | 17.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 17.3% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | +20.1% |
| 2019 | 19.5% | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 19.2% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 11.5% | -40.2% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | +31.9% |
| 2023 | 14.1% | -7.0% |
| 2024 | 12.9% | -8.6% |
| 2025 | 12.0% | -6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 23.1% | 20.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 17.3% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.1% | 11.5% | 19.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More education data for Singapore
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 13,601 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 336 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9,429 (1989)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8,429 (1989)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 163,746 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 238,816 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.4 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0404 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Singapore?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Singapore was 12.0% in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 31.4% in 2012.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1981.
- How does Singapore rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Singapore ranks 111th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Singapore 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.