Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Germany
Germany: Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education was 74.5% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Germany, 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 Germany stood at 74.5%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is down 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Germany peaked at 85.5% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 74.5%, in 2022.
That places Germany 28th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 77.3% | — |
| 2003 | 77.7% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 80.0% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 81.5% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 85.5% | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 83.8% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 74.5% | -6.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 79.1% | 77.3% | 81.5% | 4 |
| 2010s | 82.9% | 79.3% | 85.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 74.5% | 74.5% | 74.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More education data for Germany
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.97 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 283,851 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.6418 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 3.68 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5802 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.123 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Germany?
- Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Germany was 74.5% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 85.5% in 2012.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.5% in 2022.
- How does Germany rank for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education?
- Germany ranks 28th 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 Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Germany 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.