Slovenian literacy and reading culture initiatives

Slovenia has introduced several initiatives to promote reading culture and address declining literacy levels. A key component is the ‘Reading on Prescription’ (Branje na recept) program, a collaboration between the Mladinska knjiga publishing house, pediatricians, and health organizations such as the National Institute of Public Health. This initiative aims to combat the negative effects of excessive digital device use on cognitive development and mental well-being.

The push for literacy follows data from the OECD PISA 2025 research, which indicated that Slovenian 15-year-olds have reached their lowest levels of reading, science, and mathematics literacy since 2006. Specifically, reading literacy is currently at a fundamental level for only 64 percent of 15-year-olds.

In addition to medical-focused programs, the country is observing the ninth National Month of Shared Reading from September 8 to October 11, 2026. Under the theme ‘Reading is Joy’ (Branje je veselje), the campaign includes the ‘10 minutes for reading’ initiative, which encourages students, parents, and employees to dedicate brief periods to reading to foster lifelong habits.