Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland
Ireland: Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level was 79.9% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland, 2003–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 79.9% for share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in 2022.
That represents a change of down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland peaked at 83.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 77.3%, in 2009.
Ireland ranks 3rd of 51 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 80.7% | — |
| 2006 | 81.3% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 77.3% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 81.5% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 83.4% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 82.9% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 79.9% | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 79.8% | 77.3% | 81.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 82.6% | 81.5% | 83.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 79.9% | 79.9% | 79.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 1 South Korea 83.8% compare
- 2 Estonia 82.4% compare
- 4 Switzerland 79.6% compare
- 5 Denmark 79.3% compare
- 6 Russia 78.0% compare
More education data for Ireland
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.9368 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 35,618 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,544 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 134,541 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1981 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 112,690 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -2.26 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland?
- Share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Ireland was 79.9% in 2022, 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 83.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.3% in 2009.
- How does Ireland rank for share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level?
- Ireland ranks 3rd out of 51 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland 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.