Figure CRF5.2 shows the average reading scores for this group and for grade five students in Papua New Guinea in previous PILNA cycles. The score in Papua New Guinea in 2021 was higher than in 2015 (479.84) and 2018 (480.55) and the standard deviation in 2021 (SD = 58.16) was comparable to that of 2018 (SD = 59.21) and higher than that of 2015 (SD = 34.02). This shows that the spread of grade five reading scores in PILNA 2021 was similar to that of 2018 but wider than that of 2015.

Standard deviation shows how close data points are to the average. A lower standard deviation means that data points are, overall, closer to the average; a higher standard deviation means that data points are, overall, further away from the average.