GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON EDUCATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: THE CASE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SINGAPORE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between government spending on education and the Human Development Index (HDI) in the Philippines and Singapore over a 13-year period (2009–2021). Data from the World Bank, Trading Economics, and the United Nations Development Programme were analyzed using descriptive and regression analysis with the GNU Regression, Econometrics, and Time-Series Library software. Results showed that the Philippines had fluctuating education spending between 2010 and 2017, followed by a decline, while Singapore’s budget remained more stable, with a gradual increase around 2013, a slight decline, and stabilization between 2014 and 2018, followed by a modest rebound in 2021. Both countries showed an overall upward trend in HDI during the study period. Regression results confirmed a significant relationship between government spending on education and HDI in both countries. The study recommends that governments, especially in the Philippines, collaborate with international organizations and develop long-term strategies to enhance human development through sustained investment in education.