The results of the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) survey, coordinated by OECD, were published on December 10. The survey was conducted in 2022–23 and covered 31 countries, including Poland. The survey measured three basic competences among adults (16-65 years): literacy, numeracy and problem-solving.
The Scandinavian countries and Japan performed best in the study. Poland ranked among the lowest countries, alongside Italy, Portugal, Lithuania and Chile. Compared to 2012 results, Poland saw significant drops: by as much as 31 points in literacy and 21 points in numeracy. High percentages of the survey participants were also among those who performed poorly on the tasks – 39% of respondents had difficulties with literacy, 38% with numeracy and 48% with problem-solving. This result is significantly worse than in other countries in the region. The survey highlights the need to invest in adult education and to support low-skilled groups, especially older adults and those with less education.
PIAAC 2023 survey report - download (PDF file in Polish)
Press information – download (in Polish, PDF file)
Experts indicate that the results of the Polish edition of the survey may be underestimated due to the low involvement of respondents. Quick and incomplete responses were a problem, which could also lower the results in other countries.
The Educational Research Institute has published a report with the main results, with further reports to be released in 2025. The international survey report is available at the OECD website.