üChina: On April 17, 2026, the Ministry of Education issued the China Youth Reading Literacy Framework. Pioneering a "Knowledge-Ability-Value"model and a "4-Stage and12-Step"framework, it aims to improve reading literacyand foster a nationwide learning society.
üThailand:About 65% of Thai 15-year-olds can read words but fail to understand what they read, according to PISA data. Experts say fragmented reading on social media and a rigid education system are to blame, calling for deep-reading habits to be cultivated from early childhood.
üIreland: In response to digitalization, Ireland has introduced the National DEAR Challenge, which encourages people of all ages to put down electronic devices and read for 20 minutes. This effort comes amid surveys indicating a decline in reading rates among teenagers, while adults show a preference for printed books. To address this, the government has launched programs such as book gifting to infants, aiming to cultivate reading habits from an early age.
üInternational Organization: UNICEF and Colombia's Ministry of Education have jointly launched accessible digital textbooks, equipped with features like narration, sign language, and interactive functions, so that all students, including children with disabilities, can equally enjoy the pleasure of reading.
China: The Ministry of Education issued the China Youth Reading Literacy Framework to improve the national reading education system.
On April 17, 2026, the Ministry of Education officially released the national reading education standard, the China Youth Reading Literacy Framework.
Jointly developed by Beijing Normal University and relevant institutions, the standard establishes a reading literacy model of "Knowledge-Ability-Value". This model reflects the educational philosophy of deeply integrating "knowing, practicing, and believing". Furthermore, it constructs a "4-Stage and 12-Step" development framework, which divides reading literacy into four stages, "Foundation, Expansion, Deepening, and Integration", and conducts in twelve steps, providing a clear growth path for adolescents across different proficiency.
The standard aims to improve the reading education system for youth, serving reading curriculum development, literacy assessment, teacher guidance, and the publication of graded reading materials. Its release is of great significance for guiding high-quality reading content, advancing nationwide reading initiatives, and promoting the building of a learning society.
Source: the Ministry of Educationof China
http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/gzdt_gzdt/s5987/202604/t20260417_1434043.html
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/NNX7KNYmGcRB-iwebMTupw
Compiler:HE Yale, UNESCO-TEC
Thailand: PISA Reveals Worsening Teen Reading Crisis as 65% of Students "Can Read but Not Comprehend"
Thailand is facing a severe youth reading crisis, according to a new warning from the Thailand Development Research Institute. PISA data shows that roughly 65% of 15‑year‑old students can recognise words but cannot understand or analyse the meaning of what they read, placing their reading proficiency below Level 2.
Dr. Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of the institute, points to a fundamental shift in reading habits as thecause. Although data shows that Thais' average daily reading time has increased, the rise of social media and "influencer culture" has left young people accustomed to passive, fragmented information intake. Children are increasingly reliant on others to summarise key points, losing the opportunity to build their own analytical skills. At the same time, the rote‑learning model in Thailand's traditional education system has "killed the joy of learning", driving students toward digital platforms where critical thinking is rarely practised.
Dr. Somkiat urges a focus on "executive function" skills in early childhood to foster a deep interest in reading. He stresses thatprinted books and libraries are far from outdated, and recommends that local governments increase investment in community libraries and mobile book units to ensure quality reading materials reach every corner of the country.
Source:The Nation Thailand
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40063818
Compilers:SHEN Huayu, RIICE, Shanghai Normal University; XIA Yuxuan, UNESCO-TEC
Ireland:Ireland Launches National DEAR Challenge to Counter Digital Distractions
Facing challenges such as declining reading rates among children and adolescents, and digital devices competing for attention, Ireland is vigorously promoting nationwide reading initiatives. Following Ireland Reads Day on February 28, 2026, the 11th National DEAR Challenge (DEAR stands for "Drop Everything and Read") will be held on April 24, organised by the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) Libraries. The challenge is open to everyone, schools, communities, families, and individuals, aiming to encourage people to put down their work and digital devices and enjoy 20 minutes of quiet reading.
Surveys show that children's reading volume in Ireland peaks during primary school (only 5% of children aged 5-12 do not read for pleasure), while among the 13-18 age group, this proportion rises to 24%. Currently, Ireland is closely monitoring the harm that smartphones pose to adolescents' reading attention, as well as the issue of excessive use of digital devices in classrooms undermining literacy skills. Meanwhile, Irish adults still predominantly prefer printed books, and most maintain regular reading habits. To address this, the government is piloting book-gifting programmes such as presenting "baby boxes" to families of newborns, aiming to cultivate reading habits from the very beginning.
Source:Ireland Reads Official Website
https://jcsplibraries.com/2026/04/15/national-drop-everything-and-read-challenge-2026/
Compilers:CUIZichen, RIICE, Shanghai Normal University; FENGJiamiao, UNESCO-TEC
International Organization:UNICEF Promotes Accessible Digital Textbooks to Ensure "Reading for All" in Colombia and Beyond
UNICEF Colombia and the Colombian Ministry of National Education are driving the "Accessible Digital Textbooks" (ADT) initiative. Based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, these textbooks integrate functions such as narration, sign language, audio description, easy-to-read mode, and interactive features, and support offline use. The goal is to provide equal educational opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities.
In May 2025, the initiative was piloted in three educational institutions in the municipality of Turbo, Antioquia, reaching 620 children aged 6 to 9. That same year, an experience zone was set up at the Bogotá International Book Fair, attracting more than 250 children, adolescents, and families. To date, three accessible digital storybooks have been successfully developed, including Helena and a Letter to Her Father. The initiative is also being rolled out in multiple other countries, such as the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Bhutan, and Nepal. UNICEF has stated that it will continue to promote the integration of technological innovation with educational practices, ensuring that no child is left behind in the joy of reading or the right to knowledge.
Source: UNICEF Colombia
https://www.unicef.org/colombia/historias/new-ways-to-read
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Xo7JzwtkLKR7fsTii6TaAA
Compilers:ZHENGRouyu, RIICE, Shanghai Normal University; XIA Yuxuan, UNESCO-TEC
