
Literacy, numeracy and problem solving are essential to function in today’s world. For individuals, they are the key to realizing their full economic and social potential and the foundation upon which they acquire additional knowledge and skills throughout adulthood. They are strongly associated with individual outcomes and enable people to participate in their communities, make wise consumer decisions and construct social networks.
Canada, as well as many other countries, invests heavily in compulsory education in order to build a strong foundation of literacy, numeracy and problem solving. Measuring the distribution of these competencies in the population can assist individuals, employers, communities and governments in making decisions that are crucial to achieving high rates of economic growth, reducing inequalities in economic and social outcomes and promoting social inclusion.