OECD study exposes serious skills gaps in Europe

By Alan Osborn. A major international survey of education standards has found serious skills weaknesses in European Union countries when compared to levels in other parts of the developed world.
In spite of heavy investment in higher education in recent years in the European Union, or EU, the study suggests that a fifth of the working age population has worrying low literacy and numeracy skills and a quarter of adults lack the digital skills needed to effectively use information and communication technologies.
The report, OECD Skills Outlook 2013, is the first to assess literacy, numeracy and computer-based problem-solving in the 16 to 65-year-old age group in 24 countries. Read more...