The line graph compares the percentage of 15-year-olds with a low level of literacy in terms of reading and writing skills in four different countries.
Overall, Austria constantly had the highest figures, whereas Ireland started with the lowest. Most countries went through a gradual increase over the period, except Denmark, which showed a small decline.
In 2000, the percentage of low literacy in Austria was fifteen percent, and it rose to nearly twenty percent within three years. Although it showed some growth in 2003 and 2006, it remained mostly stable. However, in the last three years, it reached a peak of almost 30 percent. Initially, Denmark’s percentage was about 17-18 percent, until it decreased slowly to 15 percent over the years.
In contrast, Ireland and Sweden were quite similar before the year 2003, with Ireland rising slightly from around 11 to 13 percent and Sweden from about 13 to 14 percent. From 2003 to 2006, Sweden continued a steady increase to approximately 16 percent, while Ireland grew more slowly, reaching only about 13 percent. However, between 2006 and 2009, Ireland’s percentage rose rapidly from 13 percent to roughly 16 percent, catching up with Sweden, which had also reached around 17 percent through its steady growth.