The Polish Learning Curve: IALS PIAAC - 2020 Jerzy Wiśniewski Ministry of National Education, Poland HLG of Experts on Literacy
The High Level Group of experts on literacy ACT NOW Set up in February 2011 by Androulla Vassiliou European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Youth and Sport September 2012 Report
Wake-up call If smart growth is about knowledge and innovation, investment in literacy skills is a prerequisite for achieving such growth. This report is a wake-up call about the literacy crisis that affects every country in Europe. At present, one in five of 15-year-olds in Europe cannot read and write well. Almost 80 million adults have difficulties reading and writing. Literacy affects individuals, society and the economy. This is why it is important to improve the literacy of all Europeans. H.R.H. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands Chair, EU High Level Group of Experts on Literacy
2.1 Literacy proficiency among adults Japan Finland Netherlands Australia Sweden Norway Estonia Flanders (Belgium) Czech Republic Slovak Republic Canada Average Korea England/N. Ireland (UK) Denmark Germany United States Austria Cyprus** Poland Ireland France Spain Italy 1,2 0,0 2,3 1,9 0,0 2,2 0,4 5,2 0,6 0,3 0,9 1,2 0,3 1,4 0,4 1,5 4,2 1,8 0,0 0,5 0,8 0,8 0,7 17,7 Percent -80-60 -40-20 0 20 40 60 Percent 80 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5 No information
2.5 Numeracy proficiency among adults Japan Finland Flanders (Belgium) Netherlands Sweden Norway Denmark Slovak Republic Czech Republic Austria Estonia Germany Average Australia Canada Cyprus** Korea England/N. Ireland (UK) Poland Ireland France United States Italy Spain Percent 1,2 0,0 2,3 2,2 0,4 0,3 0,6 1,8 0,4 1,5 1,2 1,9 0,9 0,3 1,4 0,0 0,5 0,8 4,2 0,7 0,0 0,8 5,2 17,7-80 -60-40 -20 0 20 40 60Percent 80 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5 No information
The right to literacy The right to education is enshrined both in the UN Convention on Human Rights and in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. As literacy is the gateway to learning and education, the right to education cannot be exercised without adequate literacy levels. The right to literacy should translate into a right to support: nobody struggling with literacy should be left to struggle alone. All European citizens children, adolescents and adults should have a legal right to receive all the help reasonably required to become literate enough to achieve their full potential. There should be broadly accessible individualised learning support inside and outside school for all children, adolescents and adults struggling with literacy.
Ambitious target The current EU target is to lower the proportion of low achieving 15-year-olds in reading skills below 15 % by 2020. This target is equivalent to Level 2 in PISA ( basic reading tasks ) and confronts Europe with an enormous challenge for the next seven years. However, it is not ambitious enough. In fact, Europe should commit to the pursuit of a longer-term objective: for all European citizens to reach Level 3, which, according to the OECD definition, is the minimum threshold enabling people to achieve lifelong literacy requirements.
Adults The majority of adults with literacy problems have attended at least compulsory schooling. But the system has failed to equip them with competences in reading and writing. Recognition of the problem Motivate to learn High quality individualised offer Linking with daily life and other learning activities Recognition, validation, Gathering evidences on effectiveness of the programmes
PIAAC and IALS 310 290 270 250 230 288 281 284 287 280 277 254 270 262 243 280 279 268 237 252 269 268 259 245 219 256 249 248 PIAAC PL PIAAC OECD IALS PL 210 190 193 IALS OECD PIAAC (IALS + 17) 170 150 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65
PIAAC and IALS 300 IALS średnia OECD IALS PIAAC średnia OECD PIAAC 290 280 270 260 250 240 230 220
PIAAC age groups 290 280 281 280 284 277 280 270 260 268 269 259 256 PIAAC PL PIAAC OECD 250 249 240 230 220 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65
PISA literacy PIAAC and PISA 1 PISA 2000 2 PISA 2003 540 530 520 510 500 490 4 4 3 Ireland 4 2 1 4 3 2 4 2 3 3 2 1 Canada 1 3 3 PISA 2006 4 PISA 2009 2 Sweden 480 Poland 1 1 Germany 470 460 260 270 280 290 300 PIAAC literacy
Strategic Perspective of Lifelong Learning The core of lifelong learning policy focus on the learner, on individual learning process and outcomes learning in various contexts (formal, non-formal and informal), learning at all stages of life, beginning from the earliest years until old age, identification, assessment and validation of learning outcomes
Goals 1. Creativity and innovation 2. Transparent and coherent national qualifications system 3. Diverse and accessible offer of early care and education 4. Education and training adapted to sustainable economy needs, changes in labour market and social needs 5. Work and social involvement environment conducive to lifelong learning Target: Number of persons aged 25-64 participating in education or training (in the period of 4 weeks prior to the survey) Increasing this number to at least 12.5% EU 2010: 9.1% (the objective not achieved) Three best results in EU: Denmark 32.5%, Sweden 24.5%, Finland 23% (Poland 5.3% in 2010, 4.5% in 2012)
Thoughts for consideration There is a big group of adults with very low level of literacy Increasing participation is it the only answer? Participation = learning? Shift to learning outcomes Qualifications? Skills?