The findings, stemming from the LEO study and the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), conducted by researchers at the University of Hamburg, indicate a stagnation in literacy rates between 2018 and 2023 Researchers attribute this lack of progress to a confluence of crises during that period, including the COVID-19 pandemic
Comparative data across neighboring countries presents a similarly complex picture Austria experienced an increase in the proportion of adults with low literacy skills, rising from 16 percent in 2012 to 27 percent in 2023 Switzerland, however, demonstrates a notably different outcome, with 42 percent of low-literacy adults reporting a sense of political efficacy – the belief they can influence political events This contrasts sharply with Germany and Austria, where only 17 percent and an unspecified percentage respectively of those with low literacy skills felt able to exert such influence
The analysis also examined labor market participation Germany and Austria both show a stagnation in employment rates among this demographic, hovering around 60 percent Switzerland, in comparison, reports a significantly higher rate of 74 percent In Germany, 18 percent of adults with low literacy skills remain employed in low-skilled occupations These findings highlight potential links between literacy levels, civic engagement and labor market outcomes across the three nations
