Almost a third of Namibians are poor

28 percent of Namibian people are poor, according to a new report of state released by the countries Central Bureau of Statistics.

Denver Isaacs reports in this story from The Namibian, that the country is one of the most unequal countries in the world.

The most telling result of the new report is its identification of education as a critical factor in addressing poverty.

Among Namibians with no formal education, 50 per cent were found to be poor and 26,7 per cent severely poor.

The situation shows improvement as education levels rise, with 12.6 per cent of those who finished high school classified as poor and 5.1 per cent as severely poor.

"Poverty among those who hold a tertiary degree is virtually non-existent," the report reads, noting that of all poor households identified countrywide, 83,5 per cent have a head of household that has either no formal education or has only completed primary school.

The guest speaker at the launch, United Nations Resident Co-ordinator Simon Nhongo, said the new report shows a threefold increase in the number of severely poor households compared to the previous year.