Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia
Australia: Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education was 78.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia, 2000–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia is 78.8%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia peaked at 88.2% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 78.8%, in 2022.
That places Australia 13th out of 59 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 87.6% | — |
| 2003 | 88.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 86.6% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 85.8% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 81.9% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 80.4% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 87.0% | 85.8% | 88.2% | 4 |
| 2010s | 82.7% | 80.4% | 85.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 78.8% | 78.8% | 78.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 10 United States 79.9% compare
- 11 United Kingdom 79.9% compare
- 12 New Zealand 79.3% compare
- 14 Czechia 78.7% compare
- 15 Italy 78.6% compare
- 16 Finland 78.6% compare
More education data for Australia
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.10 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.3914 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0406 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4786 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0429 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.4191 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 105,469 (1999)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8279 % change on previous year (1999)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia?
- Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Australia was 78.8% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 88.2% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.8% in 2022.
- How does Australia rank for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education?
- Australia ranks 13th out of 59 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia 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 students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of students who achieve minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. This data includes only students enrolled in school.