Barbados: Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Barbados' government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 2.35 percentage points on 2024 (from 11.84% to 14.19%).

Across the 21 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2024), the average change was −0.33 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.56 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.74 percentage points in 2001 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.14 percentage points in 2003. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 8% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Barbados had the 21st highest value of the 58 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Barbados in the 2025 ranking

• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 18th of 58: 14.63%
• Zambia — 19th of 58: 14.51%
• Gambia, The — 20th of 58: 14.21%
• Rwanda — 22nd of 58: 13.93%
• Kuwait — 23rd of 58: 13.85%
• Fiji — 24th of 58: 13.79%

What this measures

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.

Limitations: Data on government expenditure on education may refer to spending by the ministry of education only (excluding spending on educational activities by other ministries). In addition, definitions and methods of data on total general government expenditure may differ across countries.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.

All 26 values

Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 5.87% (2025)
• Argentina — 13.22% (2023)
• Aruba — 10.96% (2021)
• Bahamas, The — 10.62% (2025)
• Belize — 18.9% (2024)
• Bolivia — 20.16% (2024)
• Brazil — 12.93% (2022)
• British Virgin Islands — 13.59% (2025)

More education data for Barbados

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 16,314 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 83.94% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 83.04% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 84.8% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 18,457 (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 104.37% (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Barbados's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)?

14.19% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1991?

It is up 14.19 percentage points from 0% in 1991. The highest value was 26.89% in 2001 and the lowest 0% in 1991.

How does Barbados rank?

21st highest of 58 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) unusual for Barbados?

In 2025, Barbados' government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 2.35 percentage points on 2024 (from 11.84% to 14.19%). Across the 21 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2024), the average change was −0.33 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.56 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: 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. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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