Literacy Rate: Namibia

Analysis# Namibia Literacy Rate Namibia's literacy rate reached 87.64% in 2023, representing a substantial 15.6 percentage point increase from 75.82% in 1991. The country achieved its peak performance of 88.283% in 2018, just 0.64 points above the current figure. This three-decade trajectory demonstrates consistent educational progress, with Namibia transforming from a literacy rate in the mid-70s to the high-80s range. The most significant gains occurred between 1991 and 2011, when the rate jumped 12.45 percentage points to 88.27%. Since reaching near-peak levels around 2016-2018, the rate has plateaued slightly, declining 0.643 points from the 2018 high. This recent stabilization suggests Namibia has achieved substantial educational coverage but may face emerging challenges in reaching the remaining unlettered population segments.