Sierra Leone Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Sierra Leone's education spending was 2.83% in 2025, ranked 128th globally. This represents a 7.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2025.
Overview
Sierra Leone's education spending stood at 2.83% in 2025, a rise of +0.20% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 2.83% by 2025. Sierra Leone ranked 128th globally.
Sierra Leone's education spending has experienced a notable fluctuation over the past two decades. At its peak in 2021, the country allocated 5.60% of its GDP towards education, indicating a substantial investment in its human capital. However, this trend reversed in 2013, with education spending plummeting to 1.52% of GDP, marking the lowest point in the 24-year period under observation. The current education spending stands at 2.83% of GDP, ranking #128 globally. This value is marginally lower than that of the Republic of Congo, which allocated 2.85% of its GDP towards education in 2025. The significant decline in education spending between 2021 and 2025 may reflect the country's ongoing economic challenges. A sustained economic growth and increased government prioritization of education could help to reverse this trend and propel Sierra Leone's education spending towards a more stable and higher trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 2.38% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 2.83% | - | - |
| 2025 | 2.83% | +0.20% | #128 |
| 2023 | 2.62% | −2.29% | #28 |
| 2022 | 4.91% | −0.69% | #115 |
| 2021 | 5.60% | +0.25% | #136 |
| 2020 | 5.35% | +0.70% | #120 |
| 2019 | 4.65% | +0.19% | #107 |
| 2018 | 4.47% | +1.49% | #92 |
| 2017 | 2.98% | +1.12% | #41 |
| 2016 | 1.86% | −1.36% | #9 |
| 2015 | 3.22% | +1.52% | #41 |
| 2014 | 1.70% | +0.18% | #6 |
| 2013 | 1.52% | −0.32% | #4 |
| 2012 | 1.84% | +0.13% | #10 |
| 2011 | 1.71% | +0.06% | #8 |
| 2010 | 1.65% | −0.15% | #9 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Sierra Leone matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2023. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Sierra Leone's education spending was 2.83% in 2025. Ranked 128th globally. This represents a 7.8% increase from the previous year.
Sierra Leone's education spending peaked at 5.60% in 2021.
The lowest education spending in Sierra Leone was 1.52% in 2013.
Sierra Leone ranks 128th globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Sierra Leone's education spending is projected to reach 2.83% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Sierra Leone in 2025 was 2.83%. This ranks 128th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_sierra-leone_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Sierra Leone Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/sierra-leone/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}