Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran
Iran: Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level was 26.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran, 1995–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 26.0% for share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in 2023.
That represents a change of up 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran peaked at 32.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 1995.
That places Iran 42nd out of 51 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 11.4% | — |
| 1999 | 18.8% | +64.7% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | -19.9% |
| 2007 | 15.5% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 20.9% | +35.0% |
| 2015 | 29.0% | +39.0% |
| 2019 | 32.8% | +13.0% |
| 2023 | 26.0% | -20.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.1% | 11.4% | 18.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 15.0% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.6% | 20.9% | 32.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 26.0% | 26.0% | 26.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More education data for Iran
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 372,396 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 1 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran?
- Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Iran was 26.0% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 32.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 1995.
- How does Iran rank for share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level?
- Iran ranks 42nd out of 51 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who achieve minimum math proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. This data accounts for school completion rates to estimate skills for all children, not just those in school.