Survey on the development of basic skills

Ensuring that all pupils acquire the basic skills to be able to participate successfully in our societies and economies is crucial for promoting equity. At the same time, the EU also needs a substantial number of young people with excellent levels of basic skills to sustain its future innovation capacity.

However, findings from the PISA 2022 study highlight significant underachievement in basic skills, with a significant share of 15-year-olds that are not able to interpret simple texts, use basic algorithms, or apply simple scientific knowledge. At the same time, the number of students reaching top performance in those skills is declining in many EU countries. Regarding digital skills, the 2018 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) revealed that around one third of eighth graders (i.e., pupils around the age of 13) fell below the basic proficiency level.

More worryingly, there are notable disparities linked to socioeconomic background, access to resources and teaching quality; 48% of disadvantaged pupils in the EU underachieve in mathematics, and the percentage is rising.

This survey aims to gather insights on the possible factors impacting the development of basic skills across all educational levels, the challenges faced in teaching these skills and the most effective strategies to overcome these challenges.

Share your views by 31 October 2024. The results will be published on the European School Education Platform.