Table CRT4.1 shows the Tonga distribution of year four reading scores against the PILNA reading proficiency scale. This scale converts a student’s reading performance into a level ranking from zero to eight. The expected minimum reading performance for year four students is proficiency level four. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level, (see Figure CRF4.9).

The average performance of year four students in Tonga in reading was 454.05 (SD = 56.51). This corresponds to proficiency level three on the PILNA reading proficiency scale (level three is assigned to scores 437.5–462.5). On average, year four students in Tonga are not meeting the minimum expected standard in reading.

The average reading score does not tell us the whole story. The proportion of students who are meeting the minimum expected standard is also important, as this statistic shows how many students are performing at or above the minimum expected level. This is shown in Table CRT4.1 Approximately 47% of year four students in Tonga were performing at or above the minimum expected level in reading (levels 4–8), which means that the majority, 53%, were not meeting the expected level (levels 0–3). This includes a significant proportion of year four students scoring at levels one (16%) and zero (6%), the lowest levels on the reading scale.

On average, year four students in Tonga (454) are scoring higher in reading than year four students in the region (444). Slightly more students in Tonga (47%) are meeting the minimum expected proficiency level than the regional average (43%), refer to Table CRT4.2.