Africa Development Bank highly rates Rumphi district on literacy rate, life expectacy
Rumphi district, in the northern region, has been highly rated for population density, life expectancy and literacy outperforming any other district in the country – data shows.
According to statistical data published by the Africa Development Bank Group and available on http://malawi.opendataforafrica.org/, Rumphi has a satisfactory life expectancy where males can live up to 53 years much higher than other districts.
The district’s literacy rate is presently pegged at a whooping 82 per cent.
Other star performers on literacy level are Likoma, Chitipa and Mzimba also in the North Malawi are ranked second, third and fourth respectively on national comparison. While Dedza and Mangochi are ranked worst with 49 and 47 per cent respectively.
Thyolo, Lilongwe and Nsanje have the lowest life expectancy levels as males average only 41 years while Rumphi and Karonga ranked highest at 53 years.
Rumphi’s population density also proves the district is one of the best places live comfortably with 36 people living per square kilometer as opposed to Chiradzulu and Thyolo which have some of the worse population densities screaming at 376 and 342 people living per square kilometer respectively.
Likoma has the worst with 579 people living per square kilometer.
The data further shows that in terms of malaria deaths, the districts of Likoma and Neno are far much better as averagely only 0.02 and 0.03 people per one hundred thousand (100,000) people succumb to the disease mainly due to their smaller sizes. however, Rumphi registers only 0.11 and Mangochi has 0.90.
According to experts, Rumphi could have star-performed on literacy levels because of a much conducive environment the district offers as regards education.
A historian studying at Mzuzu University (Mzuni), Auster Chirwa, said that, also, the influence of the early missionaries in district also could explain the sumptuous literacy levels.
“The district has been introduced to education since the eighteenth century with the arrival of David Livingstone,” he said.
He added the influence is also the reason behind many significant schools in the district including the University of Livingstonia, St Patrick’s Seminary and the Phwezi Schools.
Top 10 Districts on Life Expectancy (years for males) are:
1. Rumphi – 53.1
2. Karonga – 53.0
3. Chitipa – 51.0
4. Nkhata Bay – 50.8
5. Mzimba – 50.2
6. Lokoma – 50.1
7. Dowa – 49.5
8. Machinga – 49.0
9. Ntcheu – 49.0
10. Neno – 48.6
Top 10 Districts on Literacy Levels (%) are:
1. Rumphi – 82
2. Likoma – 78
3. Chitipa – 76
4. Mzimba – 75
5. Karonga – 74
6. Nkhata Bay – 74
7. Blantyre – 68
8. Chiradzulu – 67
9. kasungu – 67
10. Ntcheu – 64