S'porean adults' numeracy & literacy proficiencies improved since 2014: Global study

On Dec. 10, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) published the results of its second Survey of Adult Skills.

According to the OECD website, the survey "provides a comprehensive overview of adults' literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem solving skills – skills that are fundamental for personal, economic, and societal development."

Singapore's ranking for adults’ literacy and numeracy has gone up.

The survey was taken in two cycles. Cycle one was 2014 to 2015, while cycle two was conducted from 2022 to 2023. Around 5,000 Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents aged between 16 and 65 participated in cycle two.

A total of 31 countries participated in the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills.

According to a Dec. 10 joint press release by the Ministry of Education (MOE), SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and the Institute for Adult Learning, "the OECD recognises these proficiencies as key information processing skills that enable an adult to acquire new knowledge and skills."

Improvement

Singapore shares the spot with Finland for the most improved country for numeracy. Singapore was ranked 10th out of 31 countries in cycle two, rising from an initial placement of rank 25 out of 39 countries in cycle one.

Our literacy proficiency scores also went up in ranking from 28th out of 39 countries in cycle one, to 18th out of 31 countries.

Adaptive problem-solving skills was not tested in cycle one. 

Younger Singaporean adults (aged 16 to 34) scored above the OECD's average in all three categories.

Other than doing the proficiency tests, the survey respondents also provided their background information, which included their jobs.

According to the press release, the findings show that in Singapore, "skills are linked to higher wages and adults are embracing upskilling and reskilling to progress in their careers".

“The PIAAC results give us confidence that our workforce has raised its collective capacity to upskill and adapt. At the same time, there is room to do even better." said Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive Officer of SkillsFuture Singapore and Chairman of Institute for Adult Learning Council.

Skill difference between age group

According to the study, the literacy score for Singaporeans differ with age groups.

In cycle two, the mean literacy score for young adults in Singapore (16-24) ranks fifth out of 31 countries.

However, the mean literacy score for older adults (55-65 year-olds) ranks 27th out of 31 countries.

Not in top five

On the OECD website, they released an overall top five in cycle two, that performed the best in all three domains.

In no particular order, the countries are Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The study did not publish a full ranking list of the 31 countries involved.

Top photos from Canva