Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa

South Africa: Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total was 17.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
17.2%
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
49th
of 102 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2014
All-time low
2.3%
in 2003
Years of data
17
2001–2019

Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa, 2001–2019

051015202001201020192001: 7.7 %2003: 2.3 %2004: 8.2 %2005: 12.3 %2006: 17.5 %2007: 13.9 %2008: 14.9 %2009: 15.7 %2010: 16.2 %2011: 15.8 %2012: 16.3 %2013: 16.9 %2014: 17.6 %2015: 16.8 %2017: 16.5 %2018: 16.1 %2019: 17.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa is 17.2%, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of up 6.8% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa peaked at 17.6% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2003.

That places South Africa 49th out of 102 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%) in South Africa, 2001 to 2019.
Year % Change
2001 7.7%
2003 2.3% -69.5%
2004 8.2% +250.1%
2005 12.3% +50.8%
2006 17.5% +41.8%
2007 13.9% -20.6%
2008 14.9% +7.1%
2009 15.7% +5.7%
2010 16.2% +2.8%
2011 15.8% -2.1%
2012 16.3% +2.9%
2013 16.9% +3.8%
2014 17.6% +4.2%
2015 16.8% -4.8%
2017 16.5% -1.2%
2018 16.1% -2.7%
2019 17.2% +6.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 11.6% 2.3% 17.5% 8
2010s 16.6% 15.8% 17.6% 9

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 46 Guatemala 17.5% compare
  2. 47 Israel 17.3% compare
  3. 48 United States of America 17.3% compare
  4. 50 Kenya 17.1% compare
  5. 51 Denmark 16.8% compare
  6. 52 Morocco 16.7% compare

See the full ranking of 102 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa?
Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa was 17.2% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2014.
What is the lowest current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2003.
How does South Africa rank for current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total?
South Africa ranks 49th out of 102 countries with data for 2019.
Is current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/current-expenditure-other-than-staff-compensation-as-percent-of-total-expenditure-in/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Current expenditure other than staff compensation as % of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
102 places, 1,185 data points, 1995–2019
Last refreshed

Current expenditure other than for staff compensation 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 other than for staff compensation includes expenditure on school books and teaching materials, ancillary services (ex. food, transport), and administration and other support activities. Divide current expenditure other than staff compensation in public institutions of a given level of education (ex. primary, secondary, or all levels combined) by total expenditure (current and capital) in public institutions of the same level of education, and multiply by 100. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/