According to a survey by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (Piaac), 11 countries, including France, display “performance systematically below the OECD average in all skill areas”.
France and ten other OECD countries recorded performances “systematically below the organization average in all skill areas”, according to a survey by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (Piaac) of OECD, published this Tuesday, December 10. The study highlights a worrying decline in reading, numeracy and problem-solving skills in most of the organization's member countries.
Twelve years after a first survey carried out in 2012, artificial intelligence and digitalization have profoundly transformed the daily use of basic skills. However, these technological upheavals have not been enough to stem the stagnation, or even deterioration, of levels in many countries. The study, conducted among 160,000 adults aged 16 to 65 from 31 countries, found that only Finland and Denmark significantly improved reading skills.
28% of adults presented a low level of reading comprehension
Elsewhere, results have stagnated or declined. In numeracy, eight countries recorded progress, while seven saw their scores decline. In France, the results for 2023 differ little from those observed in 2012. Data show that 28% of adults presented a low level of reading comprehension, compared to 22% a decade earlier. Conversely, the proportion of people with an “intermediate” level fell from 70% to 64%, highlighting a progressive deterioration.
-“Inequalities are increasing,” noted the studies department of the French Ministry of Labor, specifying that certain methodological modifications may have influenced the results of individuals having difficulty with digital tools. Sociocultural factors also play a role, notably growing up in a predominantly working-class household or not having French as a mother tongue. In the overall ranking, Finland stands out for its performance in reading comprehension, calculation and problem solving, tied with Japan for the latter area.
The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are also among the leaders. In contrast, France, alongside ten other countries, continued to perform below the OECD average in all categories assessed. The study also highlighted a marked mismatch between skills and employment: a third of OECD workers are unable to find work that matches their qualifications.
This phenomenon has significant economic and social consequences, such as an average 12% reduction in wages for overqualified people and a four-point drop in their life satisfaction.
