CANADA RANKS AMONG TOP OECD COUNTRIES IN FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS: RESULTS FROM THE PROGRAMME FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF ADULT COMPETENCIES (PIAAC)

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2024 /CNW/ - Canada turned in a strong performance in the second cycle of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), the results of which were released today by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

PIAAC assesses the foundational skills of working-age adults (16–65) in literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem-solving—three competencies that contribute to personal and professional success in an ever-changing world. Thirty-one countries and economies participated in PIAAC, Cycle II, and in Canada specifically, close to 11,700 respondents participated in the survey. The survey was conducted in Canada through a collaborative effort among provinces via the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and Statistics Canada. It enables both cross-national and longitudinal comparisons, offering valuable insights into skills development and educational outcomes. This second cycle of the PIAAC survey was carried out in 2022–23 and its results are now available to policymakers, researchers, and the public.

Highlights from Canada's PIAAC Results

• Strong Scores Across All Domains: Canadian adults achieved average scores of 271 in literacy, 271 in numeracy, and 259 in adaptive problem-solving, all exceeding the OECD averages of 259, 262, and 250, respectively. These results place Canada among the top 10 OECD countries in all three domains.
• Proficiency Levels: Canada had one of the smallest proportions of adults scoring at the two lowest literacy levels (19%) compared to the OECD average of 27%.
• Impact of Education: Higher education remains a critical driver of skills development, with adults holding bachelor's degrees or higher consistently outperforming those with lower levels of education.
• Immigrant Performance: While Canadian-born adults outperformed immigrant groups on average, the gap in numeracy was smaller than in literacy and adaptive problem-solving. Established immigrants displayed stronger skills than recent arrivals, making Canada one of the only countries where second-generation immigrants performed as well as or better than non-immigrant adults across the three domains. These results highlight the positive impacts of integration and language proficiency.

Stability and Progress over Time

Canada's numeracy scores in PIAAC Cycle II showed a slight increase compared to the 2012 PIAAC Cycle I scores, while literacy scores remained stable. Adaptive problem-solving, assessed for the first time in 2022, provides new benchmarks for future analysis. These findings underscore Canada's sustained commitment to skills development, while also pointing to areas for continued improvement, in a world where such skills are becoming increasingly important in the workplace.

International Context and Importance of PIAAC

PIAAC serves as a cornerstone of international skills assessment, offering a comprehensive view of adult competencies across participating OECD countries. The survey informs evidence-based policymaking, enabling countries to both better understand and address skills gaps in their populations and evaluate the impact of previous initiatives and other factors. It also allows for in-depth analysis on several educational and economic questions, given the wealth of explanatory variables included in the data. Canada's strong performance reflects not only the quality of its education systems but also the resilience of its workforce in adapting to global challenges and crises, such as the pandemic.

Acknowledgments

CMEC and its partners extend their gratitude to the thousands of participants who took part in the survey. Their contributions are instrumental in shaping education and skills policies that benefit all Canadians.

For a detailed review of Canada's PIAAC results, visit https://www.piaac.ca/.The OECD's international report is available at https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/piaac.html.

About CMEC

Founded in 1967, CMEC is the collective voice of Canada's ministers of education. It provides leadership in education at the pan-Canadian and international levels and contributes to the exercise of the exclusive jurisdiction of provinces and territories over education. For more information, visit us at www.cmec.ca.

SOURCE Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

Information: Val Baravi, Manager, Communications, CMEC, Cell: 249-288-9240, Tel.: [phone], ext. 298, Email: [email protected], X: @CCMEC, www.cmec.ca