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Latest available · compiled 2023

Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation

Each country’s newest reading as of 2023; every row carries its own year · stored as published, never rewritten

This is the share of pupils at the end of primary school who reach at least a minimum level in reading — SDG indicator 4.1.1, the measure the world’s education goal is scored on. It asks not whether children are in school, but whether school has taught them to read.

Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation covers 122 countries on 3 measures. Canada is highest, at 98.7773; Laos is lowest, at 2.0000. The middle country reads 58.5980. 7 readings are more than ten years older than the file and are listed but not compared.

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Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary · Latest available · compiled 2023

HighestCanada

98.7773

LowestLaos

2.0000

Shaded by value in five groups of equal size, darkest at the better end.

01Values only

The table

Every country and every column of Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation, as published. The file carries values only, so no position is shown. “=” marks a shared position.

Showing 25 of 122 countries · select a heading to sort

Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation: every country, as published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).
CanadaCANNorthern America · 2021 reading98.777399.0798.492021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4. The results correspond only to Quebec
LuxembourgLUXWestern Europe · 2006 reading, too old to compare98.772199.1598.432006Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
RussiaRUSEastern Europe · 2021 reading98.362198.7697.982021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
Hong KongHKGEastern Asia · 2021 reading98.279998.7997.762021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
CroatiaHRVSouthern Europe · 2021 reading98.077398.3697.822021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
PolandPOLEastern Europe · 2021 reading97.210298.0696.462021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
ItalyITASouthern Europe · 2021 reading97.182797.4396.942021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
LithuaniaLTUNorthern Europe · 2021 reading97.110598.2895.952021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
United KingdomGBRNorthern Europe · 2021 reading97.031197.7896.232021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4. The results correspond only to England
SingaporeSGPSouth-eastern Asia · 2021 reading96.659897.9395.462021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
FinlandFINNorthern Europe · 2021 reading96.483197.5695.422021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
NetherlandsNLDWestern Europe · 2021 reading96.445697.3895.492021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
CzechiaCZEEastern Europe · 2021 reading96.011396.5095.542021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
AustriaAUTWestern Europe · 2021 reading95.923396.4895.392021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
MacauMACEastern Asia · 2021 reading95.918096.4795.362021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
SwedenSWENorthern Europe · 2021 reading95.276596.3894.192021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
SpainESPSouthern Europe · 2021 reading95.230695.5594.952021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
GreeceGRCSouthern Europe · 2001 reading, too old to compare94.507097.1492.082001Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
United StatesUSANorthern America · 2021 reading94.506695.2693.742021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
SloveniaSVNSouthern Europe · 2021 reading94.376496.4692.382021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
BelgiumBELWestern Europe · 2021 reading94.311095.5493.152021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4. The results correspond only to Belgium (Flemish)
LatviaLVANorthern Europe · 2021 reading94.287996.0892.562021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
PortugalPRTSouthern Europe · 2021 reading94.177695.5992.872021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
HungaryHUNEastern Europe · 2021 reading94.132595.4992.772021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4
FranceFRAWestern Europe · 2021 reading93.862695.1492.582021Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Students achieving at least low International Benchmark. Grade 4

02In Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation

At either end

The 5 countries at each end of the headline, then the highest and lowest on each other measure. Readings too old to compare take no part.

Highest

  1. Canada98.7773
  2. Russia98.3621
  3. Hong Kong98.2799
  4. Croatia98.0773
  5. Poland97.2102

Lowest

  1. Laos2.0000
  2. Burundi4.5000
  3. Madagascar6.3000
  4. Chad7.6000
  5. DR Congo9.2000

A higher value is the better result. The middle country reads 58.5980. “Shared” marks a value another country also holds.

Each measure’s ends

  • Female

    HighestCanada99.07

    LowestLaos3.00

    Middle country: 65.90

  • Male

    HighestCanada98.49

    LowestLaos2.00

    Middle country: 56.90

03Caveats

Read before you use

How values are stored

  • Readings from many years

    Each country’s newest reading as of 2023, from 2001 to 2023. 7 are more than ten years older than the file: listed and marked, but left out of the ends and the changes.

  • 121 distinct values among 122

    Values are stored exactly as published, to 14 decimals. 2 countries share 11.0000. Countries sharing a value share a position too.

  • 24 empty cells

    An empty cell means the publisher gave no figure. It is never a zero.

04The files

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Licence in full

What this site changed: Reshaped to one row per country, with its ISO code; no value recalculated, rescaled or rounded. In full

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · what it allows, in plain words

Cite this edition

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) (2023). Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, 2023 compilation [data set]. As held by Nations Inquiry, https://nationsinquiry.com/datasets/reading-proficiency-primary/2023

051 held

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