Finland: PISA student performance 2022

In the PISA test 2022, Finnish students performed well above the OECD average in reading, mathematics, and science knowledge. Finnish students scored 490 points in reading, 484 points in mathematics, and 511 in science.

OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study that evaluates educational systems in selected countries by assessing student performance in reading, mathematics, and science. It was conducted for the first time in 2000 and then repeated every three years.

Finnish PISA success

Finland has been among the top-ranking countries in all PISA tests since 2000, but in recent years the Nordic country has shown decline in performance. The downward trend of Finland's mean score continued in 2022. While the ranking in science literacy remained at its previous level, reading and mathematical literacy performance declined. Meanwhile, Estonia has surpassed Finland in the PISA ranking as the European leader.

Large gender gap in reading skills

Finnish students continued to perform well in reading literacy, but the difference in reading skills of girls and boys has been one of the widest in the participating countries. Another worrying trend has been the increasing influence of socio-economic background on learning outcomes. In particular, the number of poor-performing readers in the lowest socioeconomic quarter has been on the rise, while the results of the highest socioeconomic groups have remained the same.

PISA student performance in Finland from 2000 to 2022, by subject and score

Characteristic	Reading	Mathematics	Science
2022	490	484	511
2018	520	507	522
2015	526	511	531
2012	524	519	545
2009	536	541	554
2006	547	548	563
2003	543	544	548
2000	546	536	546

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Release date

May 2024

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Region

Finland

Survey time period

2000 to 2022

Supplementary notes

The source adds the following information: "PISA assesses the levels of knowledge and skills attained by 15-year-olds in the OECD countries (and other partner countries). The assessment is carried out every third year and the results are normally published by the end of the following year.

Results can be compared over the years observing the following restrictions: Reading literacy can be compared for all assessments from 2000-2009. Mathematical literacy only for the years 2003-2009 and Scientific literacy from 2006-2009.

Mean score: To facilitate the interpretation of the scores assigned to students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the PISA mean score for combined reading, mathematical and scientific literacy performance across OECD countries was set at 500 and the standard deviation at 100, with the data weighted so that each OECD country contributed equally.

Reading literacy is defined in PISA as the ability to understand, use and reflect on written texts in order to achieve one's goals, to develop one's knowledge and potential, and to participate effectively in society.
Mathematical literacy is defined in PISA as the capacity to identify, understand and engage in mathematics as well as to make well-founded judgements about the role that mathematics plays in an individual's current and future life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.
Scientific literacy is defined as the capacity to use scientific knowledge, to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions in order to understand and help make decisions about the natural world and human interactions with it."

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