OECD Report: finnish Workers Without Degrees Demonstrate Higher literacy Skills Than British Graduates
London – A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Advancement (OECD) reveals that Finnish workers without a university degree frequently enough exhibit stronger literacy skills than their British counterparts who have completed tertiary education. The findings, released today, highlight a growing skills gap across developed economies as they transition to more digital and knowledge-intensive industries.
The OECD data shows that 48 per cent of young adults across its 38 member countries now complete tertiary education – a significant rise from 27 per cent in 2000 – with clear benefits linked to earnings, employment, health, and civic participation.However, the rate of growth in university attainment has slowed since the pandemic.the report warns that financial barriers, inadequate preparation, and insufficient academic and social support are hindering disadvantaged students. low completion rates, particularly among men, risk exacerbating skills shortages and diminishing the return on public investment.
Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy institute, noted areas for enhancement within the UK’s education system, including the retention of experienced teachers, reduction in truancy, and increased university support. He also advocated for broadening the sixth-form curriculum, encouraging more students to continue studying English, maths, and languages, specifically noting the declining popularity of english, especially among boys.
The OECD report also flagged teacher shortages and high turnover rates as significant challenges in the UK, with between 1 and 3 per cent of teachers retiring and nearly 10 per cent resigning annually in England, Denmark, and Estonia. This contrasts sharply with France,Greece,and Ireland,where teacher resignation rates are below 1 per cent.
Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, emphasized the urgent need to improve education systems to meet the increasing demand for advanced skills. “Our systems need to get better,” he stated. He also stressed the importance of lifelong learning, but cautioned that the outlook is bleak, particularly in England.”If you don’t do well at yoru skill level, you are unlikely to invest in education and training… You can say those who need it most get the least amount of continued education and training. Those who are highly skilled continue to upgrade their skills.”
