This is especially important for recent grads because many will be interviewing for entry-level jobs along with fellow graduates who have the same basicqualifications.
Thirdly, the idea that basicqualifications should mean real competence, of the kind an employer can rely on, rather than notional achievements measured by educational theorists, receives a welcome boost.
In England (which the OECD no longer ranks in the top ten), a third-class or even a pass bachelor's degree will suffice, along with the most basicqualifications in English and maths.
But even these qualifications do not undermine the basic direction of sensible reform: not to concentrate resources on countries with access to capital markets.