Ireland's current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) was 89.37% in 2021, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 2.58 percentage points from 91.96% in 2011.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 89.37% | 2021 |
| Five years earlier | 92.45% | 2016 |
| Ten years earlier | 91.96% | 2011 |
| Highest | 94.56% | 2012 |
| Lowest | 86.27% | 2008 |
| Average since 2012 | 91.65% | 2012–2021 |
| First recorded | 93.6% | 1998 |
What the numbers say
In 2021, Ireland's current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) rose 0.44 percentage points on 2020 (from 88.93% to 89.37%).
Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2020), the average change was −0.21 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.94 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.19 percentage points in 2009 and the biggest yearly fall was 4 percentage points in 2007. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.55 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 86% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
See how every economy compares in the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 89.37% | 2021 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 91.96% | 2022 |
| High income | 92.84% | 2022 |
Closest to Ireland in the 2021 ranking
- Malaysia — 2nd of 6: 98.79%
- Ukraine — 3rd of 6: 95.97%
- United Kingdom — 4th of 6: 93.26%
- Japan — 6th of 6: 86.94%
What this measures
Current expenditure is expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional) of the specified level of education. Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Current expenditure is consumed within the current year and would have to be renewed if needed in the following year. It includes staff compensation and current expenditure other than for staff compensation (ex. on teaching materials, ancillary services and administration).
Limitations: The indicator depends on comprehensive and accurate data regarding government expenditure by type and nature of spending. In some cases, data on total government expenditure on education only includes the Ministry of Education, excluding other ministries that may also allocate part of their budget to educational services.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.
All 24 values
| Year | Current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.37 |
| 2020 | 88.93 |
| 2019 | 90.28 |
| 2018 | 91.98 |
| 2017 | 90.78 |
| 2016 | 92.45 |
| 2015 | 92.77 |
| 2014 | 92.07 |
| 2013 | 93.31 |
| 2012 | 94.56 |
Current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) in nearby economies
More education data for Ireland
- Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 8 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils — 548,873 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils — 456,625 (2022)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
- School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.04 (2020)
- School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.1 (2020)
- Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Ireland's current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions)?
- 89.37% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1998?
- It is down 4.22 percentage points from 93.6% in 1998. The highest value was 94.56% in 2012 and the lowest 86.27% in 2008.
- Is the latest change in current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) unusual for Ireland?
- In 2021, Ireland's current education expenditure, primary (% of total expenditure in primary public institutions) rose 0.44 percentage points on 2020 (from 88.93% to 89.37%). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2020), the average change was −0.21 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.94 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.CPRM.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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