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The latest edition of PISA is the world’s most comprehensive and reliable international comparison of students’ capabilities since the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Volume I revealed that many countries and economies have seen their overall student learning outcomes decline, with performance levels improving in some places. Singapore topped the global mathematics tables, followed by Macao (China), Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China)*, Japan, and Korea. Volume II analysed resilience education systems and Volume III assessed the capacity of students to engage in creative thinking. Girls outperformed boys in creative thinking in nearly all education systems with available data. Even after reading performance was accounted for, the gender gap remained significant in around half of all countries and economies.
Eighteen countries and economies performed above the OECD average in mathematics, reading and science in 2022. Between 2018 and 2022, mean performance in mathematics across OECD countries fell by a record 15 points. Reading fell 10 points, twice the previous record, whereas science performance did not change significantly. On average, reading and science trajectories had been falling for a decade, though math had remained stable between 2003-2018. Colombia, Macao (China), Peru and Qatar improved in all three subjects on average since they began to take part in PISA.
Socio-economically disadvantaged students in OECD countries are seven times more likely on average than advantaged students not to achieve basic mathematics proficiency. However, across the OECD, 10% of disadvantaged students scored in the top quarter of mathematics performance in their own country. Some countries/economies ensure that students attain a high level of mathematics performance despite socio-economic background. In Macao (China), the most socio-economically disadvantaged students scored higher than the OECD average. Boys outperformed girls in mathematics by 9 points but girls surpassed boys in reading by 24 points on average.
* Caution is required when interpreting estimates because one or more PISA sampling standards were not met (see Reader’s Guide, Annexes A2 and A4)