Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa

South Africa: Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a was 23.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
23.8%
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
25th
of 99 countries
All-time high
27.9%
in 2021
All-time low
17.0%
in 2016
Years of data
9
2016–2024

Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa, 2016–2024

01020302016202020242016: 172017: 17.42018: 19.82019: 222020: 25.52021: 27.92022: 23.42023: 23.12024: 23.8

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa stood at 23.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 39.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa peaked at 27.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 2016.

That places South Africa 25th out of 99 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a percentage of GDP per capita in South Africa, 2016 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2016 17.0%
2017 17.4% +2.0%
2018 19.8% +14.1%
2019 22.0% +10.8%
2020 25.5% +16.0%
2021 27.9% +9.4%
2022 23.4% -15.9%
2023 23.1% -1.2%
2024 23.8% +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 19.0% 17.0% 22.0% 4
2020s 24.7% 23.1% 27.9% 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 22 Kuwait 24.4%
  2. 23 United States of America 23.8% compare
  3. 24 Slovakia 23.8% compare
  4. 26 Republic of Moldova 23.5% compare
  5. 27 Belgium 23.4% compare
  6. 28 Chad 23.3% compare

See the full ranking of 99 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa?
Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa was 23.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest initial government funding per upper secondary student as a recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 27.9% in 2021.
What is the lowest initial government funding per upper secondary student as a recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 2016.
How does South Africa rank for initial government funding per upper secondary student as a?
South Africa ranks 25th out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
Is initial government funding per upper secondary student as a rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 39.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a percentage of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/initial-government-funding-per-upper-secondary-student-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-per-capita-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Initial government funding per upper secondary student as a percentage of GDP per capita
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
99 places, 1,355 data points, 1997–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release