Data from the OECD skill survey of adults. Considering adults in the age range: 16-65. We are not talking of PISA tests. These are not just pupils.
- Numeracy Proficiency: Italy is second last (Spain is Last, Japan is First)
- Literacy Proficiency: Italy is last (Japan is first again)
Basically, too many people cannot understand written instructions and cannot perform a simple calculation (for example, the interest on their mortgage or their savings account).
Anyway, even adjusting for the level of education, people in the age 16-24 perform better at tests than those in the age 55-64.
Things are slowly improving … (but I already knew it (link in italian) )
The complete OECD Adult Skills Outlook is here