The results of PISA 2025, released earlier today, paint a worrisome picture of the state of student skills around the world. Across the 36 OECD countries included in the study, average performance among 15-year-old students was the lowest ever recorded in all three core subjects: science, mathematics and reading. Reading skills saw a particularly steep decline, with average reading scores falling 16 points compared to the 2022 study. This is especially concerning as reading skills, including the ability to process and evaluate information and think critically, are more important than ever in the age of AI and misinformation.
The longer-term trend is just as concerning. As our chart shows, average scores in science, mathematics and reading have gradually declined since the turn of the millennium, with the decline in math and reading skills picking up pace since 2018. Science scores have been slightly more stable, deteriorating by just 17 points between 2006 and 2025.
The Programme for International Student Assessment, widely known as PISA, was launched in 1997, with the study across 43 countries conducted between 2000 and 2002. Held every three years, it assesses not only what 15-year-old students have learned but also how well they can apply that knowledge to real-world challenges. PISA 2025 drew on results from more than 760,000 students in 91 countries and economies, representing around 33 million 15-year-olds worldwide.
