Reading weakness in Austria: Warning signal for the education system!

Reading weakness in Austria: Warning signal for the education system!

In Austria, alarming numbers show a significant increase in adults with reading problems, the results of the international education report "Piaac 2023" are extremely worrying. Compared to other participating countries, Austria achieves a value significantly below the OECD average of 260 points with 254 points. It is particularly challenging that 29 percent of the adults surveyed can only solve the simplest reading tasks, which makes them functional illiterate, as educational expert Andreas Schleicher reports. The proportion of people with a maximum understanding of reading rose between 2012 and 2023 to 27 percent, which indicates a worrying trend that shows the country serious problems in the education system.

challenges in education and family

Part of the problem results from unfavorable conditions in many families, where there is often a lack of access to literature and reading models are not available, reports

The need to date the topic is evident, since many affected people are ashamed to admit their reading problems, and therefore often do not perceive important educational opportunities in adulthood. Muckenhuber, who has dealt with the challenges of adults with reading problems, demands more visibility and low -threshold offers to help those affected. These measures are urgently needed, while the statistics show that 70 percent of people with reading problems in Austria have no migration background. The proportion of immigrants in literacy courses has increased, but there is a general need for courses for all those affected to improve reading skills.