[CoolBee]

As a former data analyst and manager of teams of data analysts - I can only cry at the dreadful low level of basic numeracy in the British population - even amongst university graduates.

Getting hold of people who understand how to calculate % is nigh on impossible:
(Eg I set a basic test for potential recruits -

Q1 what is 15% of 100? - use your head or calculator or scratch paper as you like. Nearly EVERYONE got the SAME WRONG ANSWER 6.67!!!! Took me AGES to figure out why!

Q8 inflation this year is 5%. Last year it was 6%. Does this mean (a) things are getting cheaper (b) things are the same price (c) things are getting more expensive.
Most people put (a) thus explaining news interviews with random old biddies on the street saying things like "they say inflations going down, but the prices are still going up" (and I am an old biddy before anyone jumps down my throat!)

I always believed that if, instead of saying to kids, "you can leave school at 16" (or whatever age you have in your country), you incentivize them by saying "you can leave school as soon as you pass this diploma" (with the requisite minimum body of knowledge the big hats decide is relevant at the time) and until you pass it, you stay there (unless of course there is some medical / developmental evidence why that is never going to happen).

Instead of stack loads of illiterate, innumerate 16 year olds tumbling out at the end of Year 11 we would probably have a bunch of much more literate and numerate 12 year olds coming out on the streets -and what to do with them is another discussion entirely. You can bet we wouldn't have a load of illiterate 25 year olds still sat there throwing paper darts (or real ones) at the teacher.