Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 1.7% in 2018. ▬ Flat
Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Malawi, 1986–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Malawi is 1.7%, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 38.3% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Malawi peaked at 3.7% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2014.
That places Malawi 172nd out of 185 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 2.2% | — |
| 1987 | 2.4% | +10.2% |
| 1988 | 2.2% | -10.0% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +22.6% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +34.2% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | -20.8% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -14.9% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | -14.7% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | +36.4% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +31.3% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | -50.7% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | +34.7% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | +46.3% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -15.6% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -38.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 4 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 3.7% | 4 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 3.4% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Malawi?
- Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp in Malawi was 1.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 1996.
- What is the lowest initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2014.
- How does Malawi rank for initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 172nd out of 185 countries with data for 2018.
- Is initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Initial government expenditure on 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