Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in South Africa, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in South Africa is 0.1%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in South Africa peaked at 0.2% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1999.
South Africa ranks 111th of 169 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +19960.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +180.7% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -95.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +105.8% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | +94.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | -11.3% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | +11.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | +48.4% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +26.7% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +24.2% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | +14.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 35% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +19960.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2001 | +180.7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2003 | -95.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| 2004 | +105.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 8 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in South Africa?
- Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in South Africa was 0.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 2001.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 111th out of 169 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release