Out of 107 constituencies, Epupa in Kunene Region is the most education deprived, a report by the National Planning Commission (NPC) revealed last week.
The report, titled “Namibia Index of Multiple Deprivation (NIMD)” ranked Epupa first in the list of 20 most education deprived constituencies, followed by Guinas in Oshikoto Region and Steinhausen in Omaheke Region.
Among the 20 most education deprived constituencies in 2011, the largest increase in education deprivation was recorded in Otjinene in Omaheke Region with a 16.4 percent increase, followed by Epukiro in the same region with 14.2 percent, Omatako in Otjozondjupa Region with 9.3 percent and Daures in Erongo Region with 8.3 percentage points.
According to the report, with the exception of Oranjemund in the //Karas Region, all the constituencies in the category of 20 least education deprived registered a decline in education deprivation over the 2001 to 2011 period.
Oshakati West Constituency in Oshana Region and Oshikuku in Omusati Region recorded the biggest decline in education deprivation over this period at 8.9 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.
They were followed by constituencies in Windhoek – Katutura East and Windhoek West in that order.
At the other end of the spectrum was Khomasdal North and Windhoek East constituencies in the Khomas Region and Swakopmund in Erongo Region. According to the report the region with the largest proportion of education deprived people was Kunene with 81.6 percent, followed by Omaheke at 78.4 percent and Kavango at 73.3 percent, while regions with the smallest proportion of deprived people was Khomas with 48.8 percent followed by Oshana at 54.6 percent and Erongo with 59.3 percent.
Furthermore, as was the case in 2001, the least deprived constituency in Namibia in 2011 was Windhoek East in Khomas followed by Windhoek West in the same region.
According to the report the best performing constituencies, in terms of change in NIMD ranking over 2001 to 2011, reflecting decreasing relative deprivation, were Onayena and Oniipa constituencies in Oshikoto Region followed by Ongenga in Ohangwena Region and Okahao and Tsandi constituencies in Omusati Region.
The report stated those which had become relatively more deprived by 2011, that is, the worst performing constituencies include Otjinene and Aminuis constituencies in Omaheke Region and Onesi in the Omusati Region.