Over 50% Of Romanian Teens Are Illiterate – EU Observer

Romania and Bulgaria are the last ones in the hierarchy made by the EC, and are followed by Greece, with 27.7% performing poorly, Italy (26.4%) and Spain (25.7%).

At the top of the chart, in Finland (4.8%), Ireland (12.1%) and Estonia (13.6%), teenagers have the best reading ability in the EU.

“It is a real problem … Literacy is a key competence for lifelong learning,” said EU education commissioner Jan Figel.

The commission examined how member states performed in five areas – including literacy, completion of secondary education, early school leavers, the participation of adults in lifelong learning and the number of graduates in math, science and technology.

Brussels urged national governments to improve their education scores, with commissioner Figel arguing that "education clearly helps in reaching the goal of employment".