Overview

• New reporting highlights LEO PIAAC 2023 findings that about 10.6 million adults in Germany have poor literacy, with levels stagnating despite demographic shifts, according to Nicole Pöppel.
• Stiftung Lesen estimates that roughly one quarter of children finish primary school without adequate reading skills, with outcomes closely linked to family resources.
• Specialists warn that weak reading skills limit employment prospects, erode self-confidence, curb civic participation, complicate navigation of the health system, and heighten susceptibility to misinformation.
• Many AlphaDekade initiatives have already expired, prompting advocates and Hamburg education senator Ksenija Bekeris to urge continuation and expansion of programs, with at least 150,000 affected residents cited in Hamburg alone.
• Prevention priorities emphasized include stronger early childhood education, targeted language support in schools, community reading mentorships, and proven outreach such as the Alfa-Mobil.