The OECD will launch its new PIAAC thematic report, Navigating life with low literacy and numeracy, on 1 July 2026 at the event Low skills, high stakes: New insights from the Survey of Adult Skills, broadcast live from Latvia.
The report draws on the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and addresses a major policy challenge for adult learning systems: how to respond to the needs of adults with low literacy and numeracy in a context where skill demands continue to rise.
For decades, education policy has focused strongly on expanding access. Today, the challenge is also about what happens to adults who have already been left behind by education and training systems, and how adult learning provision can become more relevant, accessible and effective for those who need it most.
The OECD launch event will bring together experts to discuss the findings of the new thematic report and their implications for policy. The discussion will focus on why adults most in need of training are often least likely to participate, and how education and training systems can better close foundational skills gaps.
The international launch will be followed by a national expert session on “Low-Skills Trap in Latvia: Causes, Consequences and Solutions”, taking place from 11:30 to 13:00 CEST / 12:30 to 14:00 Latvian time.
This event is of particular relevance to the EBSN and offers parallel perspectives on the low-skills trap, the challenge we discussed in our consultation process at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. Low literacy and numeracy are not only individual learning challenges; they are closely linked to participation in work, lifelong learning, health, digital life and society. The new OECD report provides an important opportunity to renew discussion on how adult basic skills policies can better reach adults with low basic skills, support learner engagement and strengthen inclusive pathways.
Event details
Title: Low skills, high stakes: New insights from the Survey of Adult Skills
Date: 1 July 2026
Time: 10:00 CEST
Organiser: OECD, live from Latvia
Report: Navigating life with low literacy and numeracy
