South Africa—Education Spending (% of govt expenditure)
South Africa's education spending (% of govt expenditure) was 19.1% in 2025, ranking #23 out of 175 countries. This represents a +3.4% change from 2024. Over the past 25 years, the highest recorded value was 20.5% (2001) and the lowest was 17.9% (2008). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19.1% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 18.5% | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 19.2% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 18.9% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 19.7% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 19.6% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 18.9% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 18.7% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 18.0% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 19.0% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 18.7% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 19.7% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 18.0% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 18.3% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 18.0% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 18.0% | -9.6% |
| 2005 | 19.9% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 19.9% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 19.6% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 20.1% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 20.5% |
Top Countries — Education Spending (% of govt expenditure)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritania | 32.0% | 2024 |
| 2 | Costa Rica | 31.2% | 2021 |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 29.6% | 2024 |
| 4 | Kenya | 28.5% | 2025 |
| 5 | Solomon Islands | 25.2% | 2024 |
| 6 | Namibia | 24.6% | 2025 |
| 7 | Morocco | 23.3% | 2024 |
| 8 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 23.0% | 2023 |
| 9 | Bhutan | 22.2% | 2025 |
| 10 | Uzbekistan | 22.1% | 2024 |
About This Indicator
Definition
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.
Methodology
Data compiled by Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Detailed documentation is available at: https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public/documentation/, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), date accessed: 2025-09-22, date published: 2025-09.