Investment in education has shown steady growth over the last four years, receiving 37% of CSI expenditure in 2011, 43% in 2012 and 2013, and 49% in 2014, but this growth has levelled out, with a slight drop to 47%, in 2015.
School level education (general and further education and training) continued to receive the largest portion of education support at 51% in line with 2010 allocations. Tertiary education accounted for 27% of education spend, and early childhood education investment totalled 19%. Adult education received only 3% of education spend.
Bursaries and scholarships received nearly a quarter (24%) of education spend, in line with 2010 spend. Interestingly, infrastructure, facilities and equipment also received 24% of education spend in 2015, significantly up from 16% in 2010, while spend on curriculum development fell from 20% in 2010 to 10% in 2015, demonstrating a shift in education spend priorities.
Maths and science remained the largest subject focus area in 2015 at 35%, the same as in 2014. Specialised subjects such as accounting and medical studies accounted for 15% of CSI spend while respondents in the ‘other’ segment indicated support for the likes of adult/consumer education, physical education, arts education and systemic education change.