Pisa: is Europe forgetting how to read, write and do maths?

Even though Swiss pupils continue to rank among the best in Europe, their performance has also declined. Le Temps calls for a renewed focus on core skills:

“Today, one in three young people in Switzerland lacks the minimum basic knowledge. This must change. The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education has already taken steps in this direction. It repeatedly emphasises that reading, writing and arithmetic must (once again) be given priority. Simply saying this is not enough. The message must penetrate all the way into our classrooms. And it must also reach the parliaments: we must put an end to the practice of saddling schools with all sorts of additional responsibilities – first-aid courses, nutrition, Swiss German, etc., and allow them to concentrate on their core mission.”