Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium
Belgium: Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education was 74.7% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium, 2000–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium stood at 74.7%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium peaked at 83.9% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 74.7%, in 2022.
That places Belgium 26th out of 59 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 80.9% | — |
| 2003 | 82.1% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 80.6% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 82.3% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 83.9% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 80.5% | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 78.7% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 74.7% | -5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 81.5% | 80.6% | 82.3% | 4 |
| 2010s | 81.0% | 78.7% | 83.9% | 3 |
| 2020s | 74.7% | 74.7% | 74.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More education data for Belgium
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 397,681 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.1517 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0338 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 416,707 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.1203 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0354 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.61 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 80,763 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium?
- Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Belgium was 74.7% 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 83.9% in 2012.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.7% in 2022.
- How does Belgium rank for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education?
- Belgium ranks 26th 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 Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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.
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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.