Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia
Namibia: Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates was 120.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia, 1986–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia is 120.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia peaked at 139.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 110.7%, in 2004.
Namibia ranks 12th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 129.1% | — |
| 1987 | 132.5% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 131.3% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 127.8% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 128.3% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 138.3% | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 139.7% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 138.5% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 139.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 135.5% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 132.2% | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 128.6% | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 123.9% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 116.9% | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 113.9% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 112.3% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 111.9% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 112.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 110.7% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 112.4% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 113.2% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 116.1% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 116.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 117.0% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 118.1% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 119.1% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 121.1% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 122.7% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 122.7% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 124.6% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 124.2% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 125.9% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 124.6% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 124.2% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 122.3% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 121.8% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 120.3% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 119.5% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 120.7% | +1.1% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 120.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 102.7%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 120.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.4%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 130.2% | 127.8% | 132.5% | 4 |
| 1990s | 132.2% | 116.9% | 139.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 113.6% | 110.7% | 117.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.7% | 118.1% | 125.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 120.9% | 119.5% | 122.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 9 Saint Kitts and Nevis 121.1% compare
- 10 Papua New Guinea 121.1% compare
- 11 Uzbekistan 120.9% compare
- 13 Monaco 120.6% compare
- 14 Myanmar 120.2% compare
- 15 East Timor 119.7% compare
More education data for Namibia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10,653 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,003 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 26,964 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 27,746 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 236,050 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,029 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1947 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia?
- Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Namibia was 120.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 139.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 110.7% in 2004.
- How does Namibia rank for primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates?
- Namibia ranks 12th out of 217 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children of any age group who are enrolled in primary education, expressed as a percentage of the total population of the official primary school age.