Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa

South Africa: Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % was 0.1% in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
0.1%
Change on year
up 38.4%
World rank
24th
of 97 countries
All-time high
0.2%
in 2014
All-time low
0.0%
in 1999
Years of data
16
1999–2019

Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa, 1999–2019

00.050.10.150.21999200920191999: 0 %2000: 0 %2003: 0 %2006: 0.089 %2007: 0.107 %2008: 0.115 %2009: 0.127 %2010: 0.126 %2011: 0.044 %2012: 0.06 %2013: 0.202 %2014: 0.211 %2015: 0.209 %2017: 0.21 %2018: 0.107 %2019: 0.148 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa stood at 0.1%.

The figure is up 38.4% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa peaked at 0.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1999.

That places South Africa 24th out of 97 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % of GDP (%) in South Africa, 1999 to 2019.
Year % Change
1999 0.0%
2000 0.0%
2003 0.0%
2006 0.1%
2007 0.1% +20.6%
2008 0.1% +7.2%
2009 0.1% +10.7%
2010 0.1% -0.8%
2011 0.0% -65.3%
2012 0.1% +37.0%
2013 0.2% +238.1%
2014 0.2% +4.2%
2015 0.2% -1.0%
2017 0.2% +0.5%
2018 0.1% -49.1%
2019 0.1% +38.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
2000s 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 6
2010s 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 9

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 21 Germany 0.2% compare
  2. 22 Iran, Islamic Republic of 0.2% compare
  3. 23 Tajikistan 0.2% compare
  4. 25 Barbados 0.1% compare
  5. 26 Sierra Leone 0.1% compare
  6. 27 New Zealand 0.1% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa?
Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa was 0.1% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 2014.
What is the lowest government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1999.
How does South Africa rank for government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as %?
South Africa ranks 24th out of 97 countries with data for 2019.
Is government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-post-secondary-non-tertiary-education-as-percent-of-gdp-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education as % of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
97 places, 1,109 data points, 1995–2019
Last refreshed

Total general (local, regional and central) government expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education (current, capital, and transfers), expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. Divide total government expenditure for a given level of education (ex. primary, secondary, or all levels combined) by the GDP, and multiply by 100. A higher percentage of GDP spent on education shows a higher government priority for education, but also a higher capacity of the government to raise revenues for public spending, in relation to the size of the country's economy. When interpreting this indicator however, one should keep in mind in some countries, the private sector and/or households may fund a higher proportion of total funding for education, thus making government expenditure appear lower than in other countries. Limitations: In some instances data on total public expenditure on education refers only to the Ministry of Education, excluding other ministries which may also spend a part of their budget on educational activities. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/