Functional illiteracy, returning illiteracy, and implicit dropout are critical phenomena that span the entire lifespan, profoundly affecting individuals’ ability to actively participate in society and the labor market. Recent studies highlight how these issues not only have cultural and educational implications but also pose an obstacle to economic development and social cohesion (OECD, 2019; UNESCO, 2022).

Although education is recognized as a fundamental right (United Nations, 2015), a significant portion of the population remains excluded from learning and development opportunities. According to data from OECD-PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies), nearly one-third of Italian adults are functionally illiterate, meaning they struggle to understand and use written information in daily life, thus limiting their autonomy and decision-making capacity (OECD, 2023).