Education systems around the world are facing fresh concerns after the release of the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results.
More than 760,000 15-year-old students from dozens of countries participated in the assessment. The latest results show that average performance in mathematics, reading and science has reached historically low levels across many high-income countries.
Countries in East Asia performed strongly, with China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea among the highest-performing education systems. Estonia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand also recorded strong results.
The report also highlighted a decline in parental involvement in children’s education. Compared with the 2022 assessment, almost every country recorded a reduction in family support, particularly for boys. Students who received greater support from their families generally performed better in science.
The growing use of technology is another concern. Researchers found links between frequent use of digital entertainment and weaker educational outcomes. However, the results also showed that artificial intelligence can support learning when teachers play an active role in guiding students’ use of the technology.
The findings are likely to increase pressure on governments and schools to improve teaching methods, strengthen parental engagement and ensure that technology is used to support rather than distract from learning.
