Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Norway
Norway: Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education was 72.5% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Norway, 2000–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Norway recorded 72.5% for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of down 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Norway peaked at 85.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 72.5%, in 2022.
Norway ranks 32nd of 59 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 82.5% | — |
| 2003 | 81.9% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 77.6% | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 85.0% | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 83.8% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 85.1% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 80.7% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 72.5% | -10.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 81.7% | 77.6% | 85.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 83.2% | 80.7% | 85.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 72.5% | 72.5% | 72.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More education data for Norway
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,986 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.8692 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0379 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 223,436 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.7035 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0401 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 469,508 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 51,889 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7534 % 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 Norway?
- Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Norway was 72.5% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 85.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.5% in 2022.
- How does Norway rank for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education?
- Norway ranks 32nd 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 Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Norway 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.