Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Barbados
Barbados: Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP was 1.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Barbados, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Barbados stood at 1.2%.
The figure is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Barbados peaked at 2.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1999.
Barbados ranks 86th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.1% | — |
| 1972 | 2.2% | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -12.7% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | +21.4% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -35.0% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | +6.8% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | +47.1% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | -57.7% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | +31.6% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | +35.9% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -11.8% |
| 2003 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | +14.7% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -17.9% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | +14.5% |
| 2022 | 1.4% | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | -3.9% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -9.8% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 1.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.1%, 1.1× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 1.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.4%, 91% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 6 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More education data for Barbados
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1,244 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 279 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2,255 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2,277 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 18,457 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,314 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Barbados?
- Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Barbados was 1.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1999.
- How does Barbados rank for government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Barbados ranks 86th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release