Jamaica: Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2018, Jamaica's government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) fell 1.76 percentage points on 2017 (from 23.45% to 21.68%).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2004 to 2017), the average change was +0.48 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.82 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below 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 3.64 percentage points in 2010 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.39 percentage points in 2004. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 25% 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 2018, Jamaica had the 2nd highest value of the 19 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 Jamaica in the 2018 ranking

• Moldova — 1st of 19: 32.53%
• Costa Rica — 3rd of 19: 20.83%
• South Africa — 4th of 19: 17.94%
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines — 5th of 19: 17.51%

What this measures

Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.

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

All 15 values

Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 14.98% (2017)
• Belize — 16.56% (2017)
• Brazil — 20.06% (2015)
• Chile — 18.39% (2017)
• Colombia — 16.99% (2018)
• Costa Rica — 20.83% (2018)
• Dominican Republic — 16.19% (2018)
• Ecuador — 9.51% (2016)
• El Salvador

More education data for Jamaica

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 211,097 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 97.3% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 97.08% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 97.5% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 177,095 (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 84.46% (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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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Jamaica's government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita)?

21.68% in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2003?

It is up 8.85 percentage points from 12.84% in 2003. The highest value was 23.53% in 2014 and the lowest 10.44% in 2004.

How does Jamaica rank?

2nd highest of 19 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) unusual for Jamaica?

In 2018, Jamaica's government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) fell 1.76 percentage points on 2017 (from 23.45% to 21.68%). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2004 to 2017), the average change was +0.48 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.82 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below 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.PRIM.PC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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