Close
newsletters Newsletters
X Instagram Youtube

Türkiye boosts education expenditures by 92.5% in 2023

Expat families in Türkiye face steep tuition increases and additional education costs, Jan. 2025. (AA Photo)
Expat families in Türkiye face steep tuition increases and additional education costs, Jan. 2025. (AA Photo)
December 05, 2024 03:48 PM GMT+03:00

Education expenditure in Türkiye nearly doubled in 2023 by a 92.5% rise compared to the previous year, increasing to ₺1.13 trillion ($38.4 billion based on rates as of Dec. 31, 2023) from ₺587 billion ($31.4 billion based on rates as of Dec. 31, 2022), the Turkish Statistical Institute reported on Thursday.

Total education expenditure, 2011-2023. Chart: TurkStat
Total education expenditure, 2011-2023. Chart: TurkStat

The share of education spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 3.9% in 2022 to 4.3% in 2023. Government expenditure on education accounted for 3.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), up from 3.1% in the previous year.

Government sources financed 83.5% of Türkiye's education expenditure in 2023, while households contributed 7.9%.

Distribution of education expenditure by financial sources (%), 2023. Chart: TurkStat
Distribution of education expenditure by financial sources (%), 2023. Chart: TurkStat

Per-student education spending also saw significant growth, increasing from₺25,143 ($1,344 based on currency rates as of Dec. 31, 2022) to ₺49,045 ($1,667 based on rates as of Dec. 31, 2023). Among all education levels, tertiary education recorded the highest per-student expenditure at ₺84,759.

Education expenditure per student by education level (TRY), 2022, 2023. Chart: TurkStat
Education expenditure per student by education level (TRY), 2022, 2023. Chart: TurkStat

Massive education expenditures pay off through academic success

The enormous budget enabled Türkiye’s students to showcase remarkable academic achievements in 2023, as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) report unveiled on Wednesday.

According to the TIMSS results, Türkiye's fourth-grade students achieved the highest science scores among European countries and ranked second among OECD nations.

In mathematics, they secured second place in Europe and fourth among OECD countries, marking the country's best performance in the assessment since its initial participation in 1999.

December 05, 2024 03:48 PM GMT+03:00
More From Türkiye Today