The national budget for literacy increased 152% in 2025going from 144,510 million pesos in 2024 to 364,840 million, according to data from Argentines for Education. The investment per student rose from 41,731 to 105,358 pesos.
However, the report “Literacy: What Happened and Where Are We?” warns that the budget jump was not reflected in concrete improvements in learning or in an efficient distribution of materials.
In 2024, the national state did not deliver books. The purchase of 8.8 million copies was made at the end of the year and was only distributed in 2025. That year, 19.6 million books were distributed, but most arrived after the start of schoolstarting in the second quarter. In addition, the supply for 2026 is not guaranteed, which anticipates further delays.
The results remain critical. The Learn Literacy 2024 test showed that only 45% of third graders reaches the expected reading level. Three out of ten are lagging behind. Formosa, Córdoba and CABA lead the best performances, while Chaco, Neuquén and Misiones present the worst indicators.
Between 2024 and 2025, literacy was a federal priority: the National Plan was approved, more than 48,000 teachers were trained, and the Alfa Network Schools were launched. However, official monitoring from December 2025 indicates that many actions are still “in development.”
Only 11 provinces applied complete evaluations and only 5 made pedagogical decisions with that data. In addition, seven jurisdictions did not provide their own complementary materials.
The report concludes that, although literacy was consolidated as a State policy and the increase in spending is significant, Without annual evaluations, rapid return of results and books in March, the impact will continue to be delayed.
For now, the sharp budget increase coexists with a persistent reality: thousands of children finish primary school without reading fluently. The challenge for 2026 is to transform money into concrete results.
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