MONET 2030: Reading skills of 15-year-olds

SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal description

«Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development. Major progress has been made towards increasing access to education at all levels and increasing enrolment rates in schools particularly for women and girls. Basic literacy skills have improved tremendously, yet bolder efforts are needed to make even greater strides for achieving universal education goals. […]»

Excerpt from Swiss target 4.1: During compulsory schooling, all children learn and develop basic knowledge, skills and a cultural identity that allow them to take part in lifelong learning and to find their place in society and the world of work. [...]

Significance of the indicator
This indicator shows the percentage of pupils who, at the end of compulsory education, have acquired the minimum reading skills required to cope with modern daily life. Being able to read is an essential skill in our society and to move towards sustainable development, reading skills must be improved.

International comparability
The indicator is consistent with the OECD definition.

Synthesis

Comments: No assessment possible for this indicator due to a break in the time series in 2015.

The indicator shows the percentage of young people aged 15 that reached level 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 in reading on a scale of <1 to 6. Data come from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It is an OECD project aimed at measuring skills in reading, mathematics and science. Its main objective is to compare young people’s basic education in the greatest number of countries possible.

Data are collected every three years. The 2000, 2003 and 2006 PISA surveys used a scale of <1 to 5. The 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 surveys gave greater detail to the reading skill profiles by making a distinction between levels 1b and 1a as well as adding a skills level 6. However, data can still be compared between the different survey years. The current levels 5 and 6 correspond to the level 5 of previous surveys. The current levels <1 and 1b correspond to the level 1 of previous surveys.

The methodology was changed between 2012 and 2015. Until 2012, the questionnaires were completed by hand and from 2015 completed online. Another change took place regarding the analysis model.

OECD – Programme for International Student Assessment PISA

Excerpt from Swiss target 4.1: During compulsory schooling, all children learn and develop basic knowledge, skills and a cultural identity that allow them to take part in lifelong learning and to find their place in society and the world of work. [...]

International target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes