PISA 2025: Insights for Education Systems

What the PISA 2025 results tell us

The release of the OECD’s PISA 2025 results provides a timely and important reminder that educational success cannot be taken for granted. While education systems worldwide continue to invest heavily in teaching and learning, the latest findings reveal a complex picture of stagnating attainment, widening challenges in literacy, and growing questions about how technology and artificial intelligence are shaping learning. At the same time, the results highlight promising examples of improvement and innovation that offer valuable lessons for policymakers, regulators, awarding organisations, and education providers.

More than 760,000 students representing approximately 33 million 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies participated in PISA 2025. Science was the major focus of this cycle, alongside reading, mathematics, and a new assessment of learning in the digital world.

The growing challenge of student achievement

Perhaps the most significant headline is that learning outcomes across many countries have either stagnated or continued to decline. Reading performance has fallen the most, down 28 points across OECD countries since 2015, while mathematics performance has also declined substantially. Science has proven more resilient but still shows signs of deterioration in several systems. Alarmingly, around 20% of students across OECD countries are now classified as low performers across all three core domains, lacking the foundational knowledge and skills needed for future study, employment, and participation in society.

Technology alone is not the answer

The report also raises important concerns about student engagement. Levels of curiosity, perseverance and enjoyment of learning have fallen in many education systems, while reading habits continue to weaken. At the same time, digital technologies and AI are becoming increasingly embedded in education. The evidence suggests that moderate and purposeful use of digital tools can support learning, but uncritical dependence on AI may undermine performance. The challenge for educators is no longer whether technology should be used, but how it can be used effectively to promote deeper learning and critical thinking.

Improvement is still possible

Despite these challenges, PISA 2025 also provides reasons for optimism. Several education systems demonstrated that improvement is possible. Countries including the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Costa Rica, and the Slovak Republic improved science performance, while others succeeded in reducing the proportion of low-performing students while simultaneously increasing the proportion of high achievers. These examples remind us that policy choices, curriculum design, assessment approaches, and effective implementation matter.

Why assessment matters more than ever

For organisations working in assessment, the implications are significant. Traditional approaches focused solely on knowledge recall are increasingly insufficient. Assessment frameworks need to reflect the wider skills that learners require to succeed in education, work and society. Assessment must also provide reliable evidence that supports improvement rather than simply measuring attainment.

As education systems respond to rapid technological change, evolving workforce demands, and growing expectations around equity and inclusion, robust assessment has never been more important. PISA 2025 reinforces a clear message: effective assessment is not merely a tool for measuring learning. When designed well, it becomes a powerful driver of educational improvement, helping organisations ensure that young people are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive in an increasingly complex world.