Children’s maths and reading skills have “significantly worsened” in most European Union (EU) countries, posing a huge risk to how well the bloc’s future workforce will be able to power its economy, according to a European Commission employment report, on Thursday, the 19th of December, reports Politico.
Over the past 12 years, more and more pupils have struggled to achieve the minimum level of knowledge at school.
In 2022, the level of basic skills dropped sharply, probably due to school closures during the pandemic.
The report says the EU is still far from its target of reducing underachievement in schools to 15% by 2030. Almost one in three 15-year-olds had not mastered basic maths skills, and one in four failed to reach the minimum level in reading and science.
The report assessed these poor results as a threat to future productivity and competitiveness. The report cited employer surveys which indicate that skilled workers are essential and said that labour shortages hinder companies’ ability to increase production.
“Well-functioning and effective education and training systems are therefore crucial to ensure that young people and adults have the right skills for quality jobs in the labour market, not least in the context of the major changes facing the EU,” the report said.
Commission vice-president for skills Roxana Mînzatu said the figures showed the risk that the green and digital transition could “leave our citizens behind”.
Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania have the worst maths proficiency rates. The poorest students in the EU do much worse, with almost half of students underperforming in maths in 2022, “a significant increase from 38.2% in 2018,” the report says.
But the decline has also hit the EU’s wealthiest children, and the report points to a shortage of qualified teachers “exacerbated in recent years by, among other things, the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Several governments are taking action, such as Finland, which has introduced more compulsory lessons, while the Netherlands plans to give 500 euros per pupil to schools that want to improve basic skills.
Mînzatu must submit a skills plan by the beginning of March. She said it would “focus on investment in skills, adult and lifelong learning, vocational education and training, skills retention and skills recognition”.
The Commission also plans to review the Digital Agenda and to develop a roadmap for the future of digital education and training.