Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia

Estonia: Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age was 83.5% in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
83.5%
World rank
3rd
of 53 countries
All-time high
87.6%
in 2012
All-time low
83.1%
in 2006
Years of data
6
2006–2022

Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia, 2006–2022

0204060802006201420222006: 83.1 %2009: 83.4 %2012: 87.6 %2015: 86.3 %2018: 86 %2022: 83.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia is 83.5%, measured in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia peaked at 87.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 83.1%, in 2006.

That places Estonia 3rd out of 53 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.

Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia, year by year

Annual values for Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia, 2006 to 2022.
Year % Change
2006 83.1%
2009 83.4% +0.4%
2012 87.6% +5.1%
2015 86.3% -1.5%
2018 86.0% -0.3%
2022 83.5% -2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 83.2% 83.1% 83.4% 2
2010s 86.7% 86.0% 87.6% 3
2020s 83.5% 83.5% 83.5% 1

Countries ranked near Estonia

  1. 1 Ireland 87.4% compare
  2. 2 South Korea 85.3% compare
  3. 4 Canada 81.1% compare
  4. 5 Denmark 80.8% compare
  5. 6 United Kingdom 79.7% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More reference data data for Estonia

All data for Estonia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia?
Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia was 83.5% 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 reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age recorded in Estonia?
The highest recorded value was 87.6% in 2012.
What is the lowest share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age recorded in Estonia?
The lowest recorded value was 83.1% in 2006.
How does Estonia rank for share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age?
Estonia ranks 3rd out of 53 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age rising or falling in Estonia?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Estonia 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 reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-reaching-sufficient-reading-comprehension-by-the-end-of-lower-secondary/estonia/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-reaching-sufficient-reading-comprehension-by-the-end-of-lower-secondary/estonia/">Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Estonia</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
53 places, 379 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

Share of children who achieve minimum reading 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.