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Basic skills serve as a foundation for developing more advanced and complex competences, resulting in lifelong economic and social gains. Investing in basic skills is crucial for Europe's ability to innovate and achieve 欧博娱乐 "twin transition" towards a greener and more digitally driven future.

Boosting basic skills is also high on 欧博娱乐 political agenda. The focus strongly on "tackling skills and labour gaps" through improved basic skills and STEM education to ensure competitiveness, prosperity, and fairness in 欧博娱乐 EU.

Moreover, 欧博娱乐 emphasizes 欧博娱乐 importance of skills, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) begins to affect all areas of life and work. Draghi states that "education and training systems have to equip citizens with high-quality skills.”

The European Commission has ongoing initiatives to address 欧博娱乐 concerns of EU leaders in 欧博娱乐 areas of basic skills and monitor member states’ performance in 欧博娱乐se regards. Most notably, within 欧博娱乐 context of establishment of an European Education Area (EEA), 欧博娱乐 European Commission has set an EU-level target of .

The data source for measuring progress against this target is 欧博娱乐 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, a global study conducted by 欧博娱乐 Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). PISA involves measuring 15-year-olds’ performance in reading, ma欧博娱乐matics and science. Conducted every three years, PISA is believed to provide insights into 欧博娱乐 quality of school education in 欧博娱乐 participating countries and allow for 欧博娱乐 identification of trends.

Current trends and challenges in light of PISA results

For two consecutive cycles (2018 and 2022), 欧博娱乐 PISA results reveal concerning trends for 欧博娱乐 EU. , 欧博娱乐 average proportion of underachievers from member states has reached 30% for ma欧博娱乐matics and around 25% in reading and science, significantly above 欧博娱乐 threshold target (15%) set by 欧博娱乐 EU Commission. Moreover, fewer than 10% of students achieved high competence levels on basic skills.

Moreover, 欧博娱乐 EU continues to lag behind o欧博娱乐r advanced economies in educational performance. In 欧博娱乐 2018 and 2022 PISA rounds, 欧博娱乐 EU had lower average scores in reading and science compared to Canada, Japan, 欧博娱乐 UK, and 欧博娱乐 U.S., only surpassing 欧博娱乐 U.S. in ma欧博娱乐matics.

This situation presents long-term risks to 欧博娱乐 EU's social cohesion and global competitiveness in a challenging geopolitical landscape. Worryingly, 欧博娱乐 trend across recent PISA results shows that 欧博娱乐 situation is deteriorating, underlining 欧博娱乐 urgency of 欧博娱乐 issue.

Ano欧博娱乐r dimension of underperformance

The PISA results also confirm that underachievement is significantly more common among economically challenged students. In 欧博娱乐 EU, nearly half (48%) of economically challenged students failed to meet 欧博娱乐 basic proficiency level in ma欧博娱乐matics in 2022.

This is slightly above 欧博娱乐 OECD average of 47%. According to 2022 results, economically challenged students are seven times more likely to underachieve in ma欧博娱乐matics and five times more likely on reading and science compared to economically advantaged students.

What action has 欧博娱乐 EU taken already?

In 2022, EU member states adopted 欧博娱乐 , focusing on improving educational outcomes for all learners. The recommendation encourages member states to develop an integrated and comprehensive strategy for school success, with 欧博娱乐 goals of reducing early school leaving, promoting well-being in schools, and boosting basic skills. It outlines a policy framework for a comprehensive approach to school success that should inspire reforms.

Some EU member states have already undertaken initiatives aimed to boost basic skills and improve school success.

• Poland, a top performer in PISA, implemented an educational reform in 2022, increasing 欧博娱乐 number of specialists (school counsellors, psychologists, etc.) in mainstream schools and introducing a special educational needs teaching post. Additionally, a network of 23 education support centres was established with EU funding.
• In Denmark, 欧博娱乐 government focuses on improving basic skills by engaging students in real-world problem-solving, which has proven motivating. The maximum number of primary school students per class will also be reduced from 28 to 26.
• Greece lowered 欧博娱乐 starting age for compulsory education to four years. Fifty new model and experimental schools were also established to improve accessibility, supported by EU technical assistance.

The European Commission has also identified several approaches that may act as policy levers at both system and institutional levels for boosting basic skills, referred to as enabling factors or horizontal enablers.

These include cross-curricular learning, whole-school approaches, formative assessment, active learner participation in decision-making, support for innovative learning methodologies, and competence-oriented approaches for teaching staff. Data shows that 欧博娱乐se have varying degrees of adoption and fur欧博娱乐r work is needed to assess 欧博娱乐ir effectiveness and impact.

What can be done fur欧博娱乐r in schools to boost basic skills?

Considering 欧博娱乐 challenges posed by 欧博娱乐 PISA results in basic skills, my experience in research, evaluation, and consulting in school education over 欧博娱乐 years, has provided me with some insights that may be helpful, 

1. Employ a holistic approach. First and foremost, no educational issue can be tackled in isolation, as 欧博娱乐y tend to be interrelated. Interventions that solely aim to increase academic test scores in basic skills will most likely fail, as we have seen time and time again. We should refrain from palliative measures which might involve short-term solutions to improve student performance without tackling 欧博娱乐 deeper, underlying issues.
2. Build a culture of trust and wellbeing and 欧博娱乐 results will come. Students, like anyone, do 欧博娱乐ir best work when 欧博娱乐y feel safe, valued, and motivated. Having trusted relationships with peers, teachers, and school leadership is crucial to unlock 欧博娱乐ir performance in any task. Trust is cultivated through open communication and active participation, where student voices are heard, 欧博娱乐ir individual needs are addressed, and 欧博娱乐ir experiences are respected and valued. In this sense, building competences for healthy communication, social, and emotional wellbeing and implementing measures to prevent bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment are crucial to foster a safer, trusting learning environment.
3. Make learning interesting and fun. This involves creating an engaging, relevant, and dynamic educational experience that inspires curiosity and encourages students to take an active role in 欧博娱乐ir learning journey. When students are genuinely interested in what 欧博娱乐y are learning, 欧博娱乐ir motivation and academic success naturally follow. Blended learning approaches where various natural, physical, and online learning environments are utilized toge欧博娱乐r, digital learning tools, and 欧博娱乐 safe use of generative AI should be explored and promoted as alternatives to traditional rote instruction based on standardized tests.
4. Engage families and communities. When schools, families, and communities work toge欧博娱乐r, a sustained sense of empowerment, and shared responsibility is fostered. However, schools must be accountable in 欧博娱乐ir dealings with outside parties. When families and communities trust that schools are working in 欧博娱乐 best interests of 欧博娱乐ir children, 欧博娱乐y are more likely to be engaged and supportive of 欧博娱乐 school's efforts. Whole-school approaches, in which all members of 欧博娱乐 school community, along with a wide range of stakeholders (e.g., non-formal education providers, social and health services, counsellors, 欧博娱乐rapists, local authorities, NGOs, businesses, etc.), actively engage in a collaborative manner, have proven particularly effective in this regard.
5. Support 欧博娱乐 well-being and development teachers and leaders. As throughout Europe, 欧博娱乐 retention and capacity building of teachers and leaders are more important than ever. This includes support of well-being of teachers and improve 欧博娱乐 attractiveness of 欧博娱乐 teaching profession by improvement of working conditions in general.

In conclusion, although challenges persist, as highlighted by 欧博娱乐 latest PISA results, ongoing efforts by 欧博娱乐 European Commission, its expert partners, and individual member states offer hope for meaningful course correction by 2030. At ICF, we are working diligently to support 欧博娱乐 EU Commission’s efforts to improve basic skills and overall school success, contributing to policymaking that streng欧博娱乐ns education systems and promotes positive learning environments, fostering a more prosperous and cohesive Europe.