Ten African countries prioritising education

In April, the African Union (AU) declared this year the 'Year of Education,' urging governments to ramp up efforts to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

While countries require an additional $77 billion annually to meet national education goals and deliver quality education, funding for education remains largely stagnant. Government spending on education as a percentage of GDP hovers at just 3.7 per cent — a figure that has barely budged since 2012.

According to a 2024 analysis by Unesco, nine out of 49 African countries dedicate 20 per cent or more of their public spending to education, while 24 commit at least 15 per cent and six countries direct less than 10 per cent.

The Unesco analysis highlights sharp regional disparities in government contributions to education. For instance, government spending covers 76 per cent of costs in SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries, 72 per cent in the UMA (Arab Maghreb Union) and just 49 per cent in the ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States). Consequently, households in ECCAS bear a higher burden, covering 43 per cent of education costs, compared to just 21 per cent in SADC.

Here are 10 African nations prioritising education by allocating significant shares of their national budget to their education departments:

1. KENYA: According to Unicef, Kenya invests around $1,500 per student annually in its education sector. In the 2024-25 budget, education emerged as one of the top-funded sectors, with nearly 30 per cent of the national budget dedicated to it. The proposed allocation for education for the current fiscal year exceeds $5 billion (Sh656.6 billion).

2. NAMIBIA: Namibia spends an average of 20.7 per cent of its total budget and 7.8 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on education. A 2023 Unesco report ranked Namibia as Africa's third-highest spender on education. In the 2023-24 budget, more than US$138 million (N$20.3 billion) was spent on education, equivalent to 27.3 per cent of its budget. According to Unicef, its per-student expenditure averages $1405.

3. BOTSWANA: Botswana’s government allocates a significant portion of its resources to education, spending around 7.1 per cent of its GDP or 22.2 per cent of its national budget. Unesco reports that each student in Botswana is funded at about $1,000. This substantial investment is yielding results. A study by Bscholarly.com, in which the World Education Forum assessed 140 countries, ranked Botswana 92nd overall, with a literacy rate of 88 per cent.

4. ESWATINI: Eswatini is also one of the biggest spenders in education, dedicating nearly 20 per cent of its budget to funding the sector. Unesco estimates per-student spending to be $1000. In the 2023-24 financial year, budget proposals submitted to the country’s legislature allocated $3.6 million (E65 million) to the sector.

5. SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's education spending in 2022 accounted for 19.75 per cent of the national budget, reflecting a 1.26 per cent increase from 2021. In the 2023-24 budget, the country is set to invest over $17 billion (R313.7 billion) in consolidated primary education, amounting to about $1,300 (R23,105) per learner annually.

6. BURUNDI: Education budget allocations have skyrocketed from around $84 million (BIF 243.1 billion) in 2016 to over $1.7 billion (BIF 499.1 billion) for the 2023-24 period. Per-student expenditure currently averages over US$1,750 per year, according to Unicef, with the allocation to education as a share of budget averaging 19 per cent, according to Unicef.

7. LESOTHO: According to the World Bank, Lesotho's education spending ranks among the highest globally as a percentage of GDP. By 2021, the amount was 18.4 per cent of GDP, equating to over $57 million in annual education investment. According to Unicef, per-student spending averages close to $1,000 annually.

8. RWANDA: In Rwanda, the education sector will cost more than $600 million (Rwandan francs 792.7 billion) in the 2024-25 budget, accounting for 14 per cent of the total budget of $4,240 million (5,690 billion RWF) for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Unicef estimates per-student spending in Rwanda to be almost $1,000 per year.

9. MOZAMBIQUE: According to Unicef, Mozambique has among the highest per-student expenditure on education in Africa, with an estimated investment of around $1,500 per student. For 2024, the Mozambican government allocated more than $886 million (€800 million) to education, representing 12.1 per cent of the national budget.

10. MADAGASCAR: Madagascar's population of 29.6 million includes 14.4 million children under 18 and 20.9 million youths under 30. The country invests nearly $2,000 per student annually, according to Unicef. However, the education budget share has dropped from 22 per cent in 2014 to just 12 per cent as of 2021, falling well short of the targeted 20 per cent of the national budget.

SPECIAL MENTION: MAURITIUS: Mauritius is ranked among the top-quality education providers in Africa, according to the World Economic Forum. In the 2024-25 budget, more than $455 million was allocated to the sector, translating to 10 per cent of the total national budget for 2024-25.