Myanmar Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Myanmar's education spending was 2.00% in 2019, ranked 14th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from 2018. Data from World Bank, covering 1972–2019.
Overview
Myanmar's education spending stood at 2.00% in 2019, a rise of +0.01% from 2018. Myanmar ranked 14th globally.
Myanmar’s public expenditure on education has fallen markedly since the early 1970s, when the share of GDP reached its all‑time peak of 3.27 % in 1973, to a historic low of 0.79 % in 2011, before modestly recovering to 2.00 % in 2019, placing the country 14th globally. The 2019 figure remains slightly above Bermuda’s 1.93 % and below Angola’s 2.07 %, indicating that Myanmar’s spending is comparable to other lower‑middle‑income economies with similar rankings. The long‑term decline reflects periods of political instability, limited fiscal capacity, and competing budgetary priorities, while the recent uptick coincides with reforms aimed at expanding primary school enrollment and improving teacher training. Coverage of the series spans eleven years, providing a limited but clear view of the trajectory. Continued improvements in governance, sustained economic growth, and targeted international assistance could reinforce the upward trend, potentially raising education spending above the current level in the coming decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.00% | +0.01% | #14 |
| 2018 | 1.99% | −0.17% | #10 |
| 2017 | 2.17% | +1.38% | #12 |
| 2011 | 0.79% | −0.42% | #1 |
| 1995 | 1.20% | −0.44% | #4 |
| 1978 | 1.64% | +0.01% | #2 |
| 1977 | 1.64% | −0.09% | #2 |
| 1976 | 1.73% | −0.26% | #5 |
| 1975 | 1.99% | −1.29% | #7 |
| 1973 | 3.27% | +0.41% | #20 |
| 1972 | 2.87% | – | #16 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Myanmar matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2009. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Myanmar's education spending was 2.00% in 2019. Ranked 14th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
Myanmar's education spending peaked at 3.27% in 1973.
The lowest education spending in Myanmar was 0.79% in 2011.
Myanmar ranks 14th globally in education spending as of 2019.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The education spending of Myanmar in 2019 was 2.00%. This ranks 14th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_myanmar_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Myanmar Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/myanmar/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}