Government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa

South Africa: Government expenditure per student, secondary was 21.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
21.4%
Change on year
up 9.2%
World rank
44th
of 109 countries
All-time high
21.4%
in 2011
All-time low
15.4%
in 2008
Years of data
17
1999–2018

Government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa, 1999–2018

051015201999200820181999: 20.4 % of GDP per capita2000: 17.8 % of GDP per capita2001: 17.4 % of GDP per capita2002: 17 % of GDP per capita2003: 18.2 % of GDP per capita2004: 19 % of GDP per capita2005: 17 % of GDP per capita2006: 16.2 % of GDP per capita2007: 17 % of GDP per capita2008: 15.4 % of GDP per capita2009: 17.3 % of GDP per capita2010: 19.4 % of GDP per capita2011: 21.4 % of GDP per capita2012: 21.1 % of GDP per capita2015: 19.1 % of GDP per capita2017: 19.6 % of GDP per capita2018: 21.4 % of GDP per capita

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP per capita.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 21.4% for government expenditure per student, secondary in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.2% on the previous year and up 38.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa peaked at 21.4% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 15.4%, in 2008.

That places South Africa 44th out of 109 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure per student, secondary (% of GDP per capita) in South Africa, 1999 to 2018.
Year % of GDP per capita Change
1999 20.4%
2000 17.8% -12.4%
2001 17.4% -2.3%
2002 17.0% -2.6%
2003 18.2% +7.1%
2004 19.0% +4.3%
2005 17.0% -10.5%
2006 16.2% -4.5%
2007 17.0% +4.6%
2008 15.4% -8.9%
2009 17.3% +11.8%
2010 19.4% +12.2%
2011 21.4% +10.6%
2012 21.1% -1.7%
2015 19.1% -9.5%
2017 19.6% +2.5%
2018 21.4% +9.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 20.4% 20.4% 20.4% 1
2000s 17.2% 15.4% 19.0% 10
2010s 20.3% 19.1% 21.4% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 41 Rwanda 21.7% compare
  2. 42 Kenya 21.7% compare
  3. 43 Brazil 21.5% compare
  4. 45 Kazakhstan 21.2% compare
  5. 46 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 21.2% compare
  6. 47 Estonia 21.2% compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa?
Government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa was 21.4% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure per student, secondary recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 21.4% in 2011.
What is the lowest government expenditure per student, secondary recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 15.4% in 2008.
How does South Africa rank for government expenditure per student, secondary?
South Africa ranks 44th out of 109 countries with data for 2018.
Is government expenditure per student, secondary rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure per student, secondary (% of GDP per capita). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure per student, secondary in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-per-student-secondary-percent-of-gdp-per-capita/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure per student, secondary (% of GDP per capita)
Unit
% of GDP per capita
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
125 places, 1,539 data points, 1995–2018
Last refreshed

Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.