The House Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training will inquire into and report on adult literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills in Australia, including but not limited to: 

• The relationship between adult literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills and socio-demographic characteristics, particularly migrant status, First Nations status and individuals living in households that have experienced intergenerational unemployment;
• The effect that literacy and numeracy skills have on an individual’s labour force participation and wages;
• Links between literacy and social outcomes such as health, poverty, ability to care for other family members and participation in civic life;
• The relationship between parents’ literacy skills and their children’s education and literacy skill development from birth to post-secondary education;
• Whether changes to schooling in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 will have a disproportionate impact on the skill development of those children of parents with lower literacy and numeracy levels, and, if yes, consideration of appropriate remediation programs which might address this;
• The availability, impact and effectiveness of adult literacy and numeracy educational programs in Australia and internationally; and
• International comparisons of government policies and programs that may be adapted to the Australian experience.