Math and reading scores fall to record lows in the world’s wealthiest countries

The Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) released its latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, showing a sharp decline in reading and mathematics achievement among 15‑year‑old students in its member economies, which include most of the globe’s richest countries.

Since the 2015 assessment, average reading scores across OECD nations have slipped by 28 points and mathematics scores by 22 points, equating to roughly one‑and‑a‑half years of lost learning in reading and just over a year in maths. The proportion of students performing at the lowest levels in science, maths and reading rose to 20 % in 2025, up from 16 % in 2022. The 2025 survey covered more than 760,000 pupils in 91 countries and economies, with OECD averages of 461 points in reading, 463 in mathematics and 482 in science. The downturn began before the COVID‑19 pandemic, with reading already weakening and maths experiencing a steep drop after 2018.

The findings underscore a long‑term downward trend that varies across systems; while some countries such as Lithuania, the Slovak Republic and the United Arab Emirates have improved in science, the overall picture raises concerns for policymakers about curriculum quality, equity and the growing influence of digital technology. OECD data also highlighted that advantaged students outscore disadvantaged peers by 85 points in science, a gap driven more by declining scores among the advantaged than gains for the disadvantaged. Moreover, 46 % of students reported weekly use of AI chatbots for learning, and excessive device use was linked to weaker performance, though guided AI use showed some benefits.