Singaporeans are the biggest readers in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE: A study has shown that Singaporeans read more than citizens of every other country in Southeast Asia, a recent Seasia Stats infographic showed.

Singaporeans read an average of 155 hours each year. Citizens of Thailand, meanwhile, rank second, with an average of 149 hours per year. Indonesians, who read an average of 129 hours yearly, are in third place, while the Vietnamese and Filipinos come next, tied in the next place, reading 123 hours every year, according to data compilations from 2024 to 2025 from CEO World.

Malaysians come next on the list, reading an average of 122 hours every year, followed by citizens of Cambodia (78 hours), Myanmar (74 hours), and Brunei (60 hours).

Reading culture in Singapore

Singapore has a reputation for having a strong reading culture, and its citizens are known to read a lot, based on studies conducted by the National Library Board.

The 2024 National Reading Habits Study found that nearly 8 in 10 adults read at least one book in the past year, and almost 9 in 10 (89%) of adults read multiple times a week.

The NLB added that Singaporeans use both digital and physical books, although younger people have expressed an increased preference for digital content. Many Singaporeans, however, continue to make use of libraries. It also reported that there is continued reading across all age groups. 

“It is encouraging to see that reading and learning are constants for most Singaporeans,” said NLB Chief Executive Officer Ng Cher Pong in 2022.

The government has long supported pushes toward reading, with projects such as the National Reading Movement, Read! Fest, school reading programs, and digital library initiatives.

Singapore also has better public libraries, higher literacy funding, and bookstore density than other nations in Southeast Asia. 

Singapore & global education rankings

In 2023, students in Singapore re-took first place in a survey of global education rankings for math, reading, and science.

“Singapore came top in maths, scoring 575 points, in reading (543 points) and in science (561 points). These results suggest that on average Singaporean students are the equivalent of almost three to five years of schooling ahead of peers who score the OECD average of 472 in maths, 476 in reading, and 485 in science,” the study’s report says.

Then-Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said he was “proud to see that our Singapore students have continued to perform well” in the latest PISA survey. /TISG

Read also: NTU prof on PISA success: “We are reducing homework. Play is part of learning”