Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD): Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD)'s government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 0.35 percentage points on 2023 (from 15.02% to 15.38%).

Across the 20 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.77 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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 1.42 percentage points in 2014 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.01 percentage points in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.2 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 56% 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.

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 24 values

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

• Afghanistan — 15.66% (2017)
• Algeria — 15.54% (2025)
• Bahrain — 8.34% (2025)
• Djibouti — 14.47% (2018)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 18.82% (2022)
• Israel — 16.07% (2022)
• Jordan — 9.79% (2024)
• Kuwait — 13.85% (2025)
• Lebanon

More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD)

• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 196.8 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 97.1% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 95.97% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 98.21% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 5.14 million (2024)
• Primary education, teachers (% female) — 49.4% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD)'s government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)?

15.38% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is down 0.16 percentage points from 15.54% in 1999. The highest value was 18.24% in 2009 and the lowest 15.02% in 2023.

Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) unusual for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD)?

In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD)'s government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 0.35 percentage points on 2023 (from 15.02% to 15.38%). Across the 20 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.77 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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.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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