Per country variation in key skills across ages

In the sources of this Literacy trust page on adult literacy in the UK there is the link to this OECD analysis of a survey of adult skills.

The striking graph is in figure 1 in the OECD analysis (summary on page numbered 10). The figures are OECD calculations based on the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012) (database). The OECD average has a little over 30% of 55-65yr old adults with low skills (literacy or numeracy below level 2) and a little under 20% of 16-24yr olds with low skills.

South Korea

South Korea is arguably the most striking figure on the graph with 45% of the older age group with low skills and less than 10% of the younger age group. It also perhaps has the most obvious story for how it is like that. Someone who is 55 in 2012 was born around 1957 - and would have been primary school age, 10yrs old, in 1967 - at which point South Korea was essentially under a dictatorship (the president having come to power in a 1961 coup before running as president of the Third Republic and later suspending the constitution to allow unlimited terms for the president as part of the Fourth Republic) and in 1967 the South Korean GDP per capita (adjusted for inflation and purchasing power parity) was only $2460 dollars - compared to $18.7k for Italy (GDP source: Gapminder). That compares to $30k as the GDP per capita for South Korea in 2006 - when the 16yr olds in the survey were 10yrs old and $19.2k in 1998 when the 24yr olds in the survey would have been about 10yrs old - and in 2021 South Korea had a higher GDP per capita ($44.1k) than Italy ($41.8k).

England

The bars for England however are almost as striking - with barely any demographic difference between the age groups - both at a little under 30%. Only the United States and Italy - among the OECD - have higher rates of low skilled young adults. Given US inequality that is not too surprising. But the lack of any noticeable improvement across generations in England is not very encouraging - for individiuals, society and businesses.

Spain

The highest percentage of older adults with low skills is found in the country that had Franco as a dictator.

Connections

I can’t help thinking about the pandemic response and politics when looking at these statistics. Ten years after 2012 those 16-24yr olds will mostly be in the workforce and voting. The early pandemic response from South Korea was much better than the UK or US. The narrow victory of the latest, rightwing, president in South Korea means there is not some easy “educate your youth and rightwing demagoguery isn’t appealing” relationship. But having 90% of younger people with basic skills instead of a bit over two thirds to three quarters might have helped a bit in the pandemic.

What do literacy measures mean?

The world has made good progress on basic literacy over the last century. But this illustrates that even in rich countries a strong grasp of the basics is not universal. The kind of test that people are failing on (based on examples in the document)

Keep investing in the basics

Both from a human and economic perspective - if you are a rich country: ensure everyone has enough to eat, ensure libraries stay open and are used - whether for work or pleasure, and keep investing in basic education. Another Literacy Trust page summarises report re: the impact of COVID-19 on learning - the pretty clear thread is everything is worse if you have folks generally deprived!