Average years of schooling among adults in Namibia
Namibia: Average years of schooling among adults was 7.27 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
7.27 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
140th
of 192 countries
All-time high
7.27 years
in 2021
All-time low
5.7 years
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average years of schooling among adults in Namibia, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 7.27 years for average years of schooling among adults in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Namibia peaked at 7.27 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.7 years, in 1990.
Namibia ranks 140th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling among adults in Namibia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.7 years | — |
| 1991 | 5.71 years | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 5.72 years | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 5.73 years | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 5.74 years | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 5.75 years | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 5.75 years | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 5.76 years | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 5.77 years | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 5.78 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 5.79 years | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 5.8 years | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 5.88 years | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 5.96 years | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 6.04 years | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 6.12 years | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 6.18 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 6.23 years | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 6.29 years | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 6.34 years | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 6.4 years | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 6.52 years | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 6.63 years | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 6.75 years | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 6.87 years | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 6.99 years | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 7.04 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 7.09 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 7.14 years | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 7.19 years | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 7.24 years | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 7.27 years | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 7.27 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7.27 years | +0.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 7.27 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.79 years, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 7.27 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.96 years, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.74 years | 5.7 years | 5.78 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.06 years | 5.79 years | 6.34 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.86 years | 6.4 years | 7.19 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.27 years | 7.24 years | 7.27 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 137 Democratic Republic of Congo 7.38 years compare
- 138 Micronesia (country) 7.33 years compare
- 139 El Salvador 7.3 years compare
- 141 Vanuatu 7.18 years compare
- 142 Ghana 7.11 years compare
- 143 India 6.88 years 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 average years of schooling among adults in Namibia?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Namibia was 7.27 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.27 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7 years in 1990.
- How does Namibia rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Namibia ranks 140th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.