The OECD's conclusions are based on last year's PIAAC survey, which enables international comparisons of the competencies of adults aged 16-65. More specifically, it assesses functional literacy, mathematical literacy and problem-solving skills. This, in turn, helps provide a better understanding of how adults develop and apply these skills in everyday life and at work.

In Estonia, 6,665 adults participated in the survey, and based on their combined results, Estonia ranked sixth among 31 countries. Among neighboring countries, Finland and Sweden placed first and third, respectively, while Latvia and Lithuania ranked 20th and 28th. Notably, the skills of Estonian adults, similar to those in several other countries, have improved over the past decade, particularly in the area of mathematical literacy.

In the area of functional literacy, Estonian adults scored 276 points, placing sixth. In comparison, Finnish adults, who ranked first, scored 296 points. Latvia and Lithuania were positioned in the second tier of the rankings.

Estonian adults also placed sixth in mathematical literacy with a score of 281 points, compared to Finland's 294 points. Latvia and Lithuania ranked 16th and 27th, respectively. In problem-solving skills, Estonian adults scored 263 points, earning seventh place, while Finland again ranked first with 276 points.

In Estonia, the skills of men and women are relatively evenly matched. Women performed slightly better in reading, while men excelled in mathematics. However, the report highlights growing age-related, educational and socioeconomic disparities.

"The best results were predominantly achieved by younger age groups. We see an age gap among adults," said Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200). The average score for 16-24-year-olds in all three areas approached 400 points, significantly exceeding the OECD average. According to Kallas, it is encouraging that the strong foundational skills of the so-called PISA generations remain high into adulthood.

In both functional literacy and mathematical literacy, the skills of people with lower education levels have declined compared to the previous survey period. "Completing education at the basic level is no longer sufficient. The point gaps between basic and secondary education are very large, especially between higher and basic education," Kallas noted. Specifically, the difference in scores between Estonian adults with higher and lower education levels was nearly 60 points in literacy and mathematics and 40 points in problem-solving.

"The younger generation entering the workforce has very high skills, but the older generation is unfortunately falling behind. Part of this is natural cognitive decline, but it also reflects the education system of the Soviet era, during which today's 55-65-year-olds were educated and acquired their learning skills," added the minister.

Regionally, the weakest results were recorded in Ida-Viru County, while the strongest were in Northern Estonia, reflecting disparities in education levels. According to the report, this could become problematic, as adults' skills are strongly linked to the education levels of their parents. In Estonia, this parental influence on children's skills is significantly greater than in many other countries. In other words, the concentration of low-skilled individuals in certain areas perpetuates inequality.

The survey also revealed an increase in the share of low-skilled adults in Estonia. One-fifth had little to no functional literacy or basic knowledge, 16 percent lacked sufficient mathematical literacy and 21 percent had inadequate problem-solving skills. Additionally, 12 percent struggled with all three areas – though this is below the OECD average of 18 percent.

The study also highlights a significant mismatch between education levels and labor market needs in Estonia. A large proportion of higher-educated workers are overqualified for their job responsibilities. In other words, many people cannot find jobs that align with their education and skills. There is also a notable mismatch between workers' skills and labor market demands, particularly in computer and software skills. This means employers are seeking workers with specific skills that the workforce lacks.

Both problems are characteristic of many Southern and Eastern European countries. However, in Estonia, the issue of overqualification is particularly acute, while skill mismatches are closer to the average compared to other countries.

A total of 160,000 adults from 41 countries participated in this round of the PIAAC survey, 27 of which also participated in the 2013 survey.

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