Context

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to countries of the world for capital projects. The World Bank's stated goal is the reduction of poverty. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bank

Content

This dataset combines key education statistics from a variety of sources to provide a look at global literacy, spending, and access.

For more information, see the World Bank website.

Fork this kernel to get started with this dataset.

Acknowledgements

https://bigquery.cloud.google.com/dataset/bigquery-public-data:world_bank_health_population

http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/ed-stats

https://cloud.google.com/bigquery/public-data/world-bank-education

Citation: The World Bank: Education Statistics

Dataset Source: World Bank. This dataset is publicly available for anyone to use under the following terms provided by the Dataset Source - http://www.data.gov/privacy-policy#data_policy - and is provided "AS IS" without any warranty, express or implied, from Google. Google disclaims all liability for any damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the dataset.

Banner Photo by @till_indeman from Unplash.

Inspiration

Of total government spending, what percentage is spent on education?

Bangladesh BD: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data was reported at 1.775 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.712 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 1.831 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2023, with 37 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.221 % in 2016 and a record low of 0.938 % in 1980. Bangladesh BD: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Median;

Dataset Overview 📝

The dataset includes the following key indicators, collected for over 200 countries:

• Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP): Shows the percentage of a country’s GDP allocated to education.
• Literacy Rate (Adult Total): Represents the percentage of the population aged 15 and above who can read and write.
• Primary Completion Rate: The percentage of children who complete their primary education within the official age group.
• Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Primary and Secondary Education): Indicates the average number of students per teacher at the primary and secondary levels.
• School Enrollment Rates (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary): Reflects the percentage of the relevant age group enrolled in schools across different education levels.

Data Source 🌐

World Bank: This dataset is compiled from the World Bank's educational database, providing reliable, updated statistics on educational progress worldwide.

Potential Use Cases 🔍 This dataset is ideal for anyone interested in:

Educational Research: Understanding how education spending and policies impact literacy, enrollment, and overall educational outcomes. Predictive Modeling: Building models to predict educational success factors, such as completion rates and literacy. Global Education Analysis: Analyzing trends in global education systems and how different countries allocate resources to education. Policy Development: Helping governments and organizations make data-driven decisions regarding educational reforms and funding.

Key Questions You Can Explore 🤔

How does government expenditure on education correlate with literacy rates and school enrollment across different regions? What are the trends in pupil-teacher ratios over time, and how do they affect educational outcomes? How do education indicators differ between low-income and high-income countries? Can we predict which countries will achieve universal primary education based on current trends?

Important Notes ⚠️ - Missing Data: Some values may be missing for certain years or countries. Consider using techniques like forward filling or interpolation when working with time series models. - Data Limitations: This dataset provides global averages and may not capture regional disparities within countries.

The World Bank EdStats All Indicator Query holds over 4,000 internationally comparable indicators that describe education access, progression, completion, literacy, teachers, population, and expenditures. The indicators cover the education cycle from pre-primary to vocational and tertiary education. The query also holds learning outcome data from international and regional learning assessments (e.g. PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS), equity data from household surveys, and projection/attainment data to 2050. For further information, please visit the EdStats website.

For further details, please refer to https://datatopics.worldbank.org/education/wRsc/about

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Liberia was reported at 2.2665 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Liberia - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Germany DE: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data was reported at 9.191 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.066 % for 2021. Germany DE: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 9.047 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2022, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.748 % in 2014 and a record low of 7.506 % in 1995. Germany DE: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. 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.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Median;

Abstract

Madagascar had low school enrollment rates: only 60% of the urban children and 12% of the rural children completed primary school (World Bank, 2002). To improve the enrollment and completion rates as well as the quality of education, Madagascar government had substantially increased investments in the education sector. It committed itself to the Education For All (EFA) initiative and started to fully subsidize the tuition fees through the so-called "caisse ecole," and to provide school kits for all students in public primary schools. The Government also raised the districts' budgets for school material and started distributing free textbooks to schools.

This study investigated the different resource flows in the financing of the public primary education sector in Madagascar.

The survey was conducted in two rounds. The first round was carried out in October-November 2006 and the second round in April-May 2007. The study was implemented using stratified random sampling. Data from more than 200 schools in 28 districts was analyzed.

Public Expenditure Tracking Survey among Madagascar health care facilities and workers was conducted at the same time with PETS in Education.

Geographic coverage

Provinces: Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa, Toamasina, Mahajanga, Toliara and Antsiranana.

Analysis unit

• Cisco (Circonscription Scolaire/District Education Facility);
• Schools;
• School Principals;
• Teachers.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The study was conducted using stratified random sampling.

The stratified sample was set up in such a way to be representative at the national level. Madagascar has 22 regions and 111 districts, and at least one district was visited in each region. Two districts were selected in the six largest regions. Hence, 28 districts were visited in total. The selected districts were obtained through random selection, giving greater (less) weight to districts with more (less) public primary schools within the district. In each district, three communes were randomly selected, giving greater weight to the communes with more schools. Within each commune, three public primary schools were randomly selected. By ranking schools from large to small and ensuring that a school was picked out of each tercile, a representative sample of school sizes was chosen.

In order to track different resource flows from the decentralized district facility levels to the schools, surveys were organized at district and school levels. At the local level, the directors of the education facility as well as teachers were interviewed independently. To ensure compatibility, the surveys at district and school levels were held at the same time.

In total, 252 schools were visited. Due to closure of some schools during either the first or the second round (or both rounds), researchers ended up with reliable panel data on 229 schools. Finally, it is noteworthy that the second round of data collection faced greater challenges to collect the data and therefore results were less robust for the second round. (For example, researchers faced mismatching codes for some schools and health centers as well as personnel codes between both rounds; there were a lot of blank entries on school equipment and other line items in the second round, and there were more cases where collected information on certain budgets did not add up to the total of those budgets as reported by the enumerators in the second round).

Overall, in the province of Antananarivo 54 schools were visited, 63 schools were visited in Fianarantsoa, 36 - in Toamasina, 45 - in Mahajanga, 36 - in Toliara and 18 - in Antsiranana.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The following survey instruments are available:

• Enquête Au Niveau Des Établissements Scolaires, Enquete Cisco;
• Enquête Au Niveau Des Établissements Scolaires, Enquete Directeur Ecole, Visite 1er Jour;
• Enquête Au Niveau Des Établissements Scolaires, Enquete Directeur Ecole, Visite 2ème Jour;
• Enquête Au Niveau Des Établissements Scolaires, Enquete Enseignant.

Cleaning operations

Detailed information about data editing procedures is available in "Data Cleaning Guide for PETS/QSDS Surveys" in external resources.

STATA cleaning do-files and data quality reports can also be found in external resources.

Kenya KE: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 10.793 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.471 % for 2014. Kenya KE: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 21.240 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.317 % in 2004 and a record low of 9.937 % in 2012. Kenya KE: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank: Education Statistics. 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.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

The average for 2021 based on 44 countries was 4.56 percent. The highest value was in Kiribati: 14.2 percent and the lowest value was in Nigeria: 0.38 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Source: World Bank Series: World Development Indicators Last Updated: 10/26/2023

Indicators: Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) Government expenditure per student, secondary (% of GDP per capita) Government expenditure per student, tertiary (% of GDP per capita)

Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in Ecuador was reported at 9.7057 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Public spending on education, total (% of government expenditure) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Chile was reported at 4.8975 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Chile - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Moldova was reported at 6.6255 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Moldova - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Abstract

This study was designed to analyze the primary education Priority Action Program (PAP 2.1) in Cambodia.

Weaknesses in Cambodia's public expenditure management system - including the difficulty in channeling funds down to service providers - have resulted in costly inefficiencies in improving social welfare outcomes. In response to these problems, in 2000 the Royal Government of Cambodia started the Priority Action Program (PAP).

PAP education was launched in 10 provinces in 2000 and expanded to cover all provinces in 2001. The primary education Priority Action Program (PAP 2.1) provides for schools' operational budgets and accounts for over one quarter of the entire PAP budget in education. PAP 2.1 funds are to be used to support start-of-the-year operational costs as well as day-to-day school operations. PAP 2.1 funds are intended to cover small expenditures on basic teaching materials, sports, school environment improvements and other small spending items primary schools usually incur. The fixed grant component is expected to be disbursed first in any given budget year so as to allow schools to purchase teaching materials and carry out the school opening ceremony at the beginning of each school year (October).

The main objective of this study is to analyze the impact of PAP 2.1 in terms of providing resources to Cambodian schools in a timely and predictable manner, making sure those resources are used as intended. In addition to issues of efficiency (resource flow and use), Cambodia PETS in Primary Education examines equity in the allocation of PAP 2.1. resources and the impact on student outcomes.

Moreover, this study analyzed the flow and use of Chapter 11 funds in the regular budget system, and compared them with PAP 2.1 funds. Chapter 11 funds are intended for general operational and maintenance expenditure.

The Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education is a complex survey involving the Provincial Treasuries (PT), Provincial Education Offices (PEOs), District Education Offices (DEOs), school directors, parents and students. The survey covered a random sample of 200 primary schools in 21 districts and 7 provinces. Also, randomly selected 20 Grade 4 students and 20 Grade 6 students were tested in numeracy and literacy skills.

Geographic coverage

7 provinces (Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampot, Kratie, Prey Veng and Sihanoukville).

Analysis unit

• Students
• Teachers
• Parents
• School Principals
• Primary schools
• Provincial Treasuries
• Provincial Education Offices
• District Education Offices.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Initial sample of 220 primary schools was randomly drawn from 12 provinces and 34 districts. The final sample included 200 schools in 7 provinces since some schools could not be accessed and a replacement could not be found.

Stratified random sample based on the 2002-2003 school census was used. Each province was weighted according to size (number of schools). Five early (receiving funding from 2000 and onwards) and seven late (receiving funding from 2001 and onwards) provinces were randomly chosen from the population of 24 provinces. Each of the 12 selected provinces (Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Phnom Penh, Ratanak Kiri, Siemreap, Svay Rieng, and Takeo) was then allotted a number of schools based on the proportion of schools in the province to the total number of schools in the selected sample of 12 provinces. To make the survey effort feasible, it was decided that 2 or 3 districts would be picked from each province (the final number depending on the total number of districts in the province). Similar to the draw of provinces, each district was weighted according to size (number of schools). Thereafter, 2 or 3 districts were randomly chosen from the population of districts within each province, yielding a total of 34 districts to be included in the final sample.

The second stage of the sampling was based on the Cambodian 2003-2004 household surveys (HSES). The HSES sampling frame consisted of 900 villages and 15,000 households. The sampling design involved stratification of the country into five geographical regions (Phnom Penh, Plain, Tonle Sap, Coastal, and Plateau and Mountain), dividing up each region into separate urban and rural strata. From each stratum, 4 independent sub-samples of villages were drawn, with the sample being allocated over the strata proportionately to the total number of households in the strata.

At the school level, questionnaires were administered to each school director. One teacher per grade was randomly selected from each school to interview. Three School Support Committee (SSC) members from each school and 6 parents per school were also randomly chosen to participate in the study.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The following survey instruments are available:

• Student Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• School Director Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Parent Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Teacher Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• School Support Committee (SSC) Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• District Education Office Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Provincial Education Office Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Provincial Treasury Questionnaire, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Literacy Test, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Numeracy Test, Grade 4, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004;
• Numeracy Test, Grade 6, Cambodia Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Primary Education 2004.

The core of the questionnaires for provincial treasuries, provincial education offices, district education offices and school directors focuses on resource flows (i.e., resources received from an upper tier of government and resources transferred to a lower tier of government), which allowed for some triangulation or cross checking of the data. The questionnaire for school directors also contained a variety of information on schools, teachers and students.

The teacher, School Support Committee (SSC) and parental questionnaires were designed to collect information on the degree of knowledge of and involvement in school matters (particularly PAP flows and use).

In addition, 20 Grade 4 students and 20 Grade 6 students were tested in numeracy and literacy skills; background socio-economic information was also collected from them.

Cleaning operations

Detailed information about data editing procedures is available in "Data Cleaning Guide for PETS/QSDS Surveys" in external resources.

STATA cleaning do-files and data quality reports on all ten datasets can also be found in external resources.

Saudi Arabia SA: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data was reported at 5.138 % in 2008. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.891 % for 2006. Saudi Arabia SA: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 5.944 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2008, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.281 % in 1998 and a record low of 3.890 % in 1981. Saudi Arabia SA: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.World Bank: Education Statistics. General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

The average for 2021 based on 57 countries was 4.7 percent. The highest value was in Iceland: 8.22 percent and the lowest value was in Monaco: 1.42 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

View yearly updates and historical trends for US Public Spending on Education. from United States. Source: World Bank. Track economic data with YCharts an…

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Albania was reported at 3.0915 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Albania - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Ivory Coast was reported at 3.4262 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ivory Coast - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Current education expenditure, total (% of total expenditure in public institutions) in France was reported at 91 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Current education expenditure, total (% of total expenditure in public institutions) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.