Mathematics and reading performance declined between 2018 and 2022 in over half of the education systems with comparable data, while science performance tended not show a significant change. The COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent school shutdowns, is an obvious factor that could impact performance. However, the declines may not be due solely to the pandemic because: (i) performance trends vary across subjects; (ii) performance trends vary across education systems; and (iii) performance was already deteriorating before the pandemic in some systems.
Student performance (PISA)
Student performance shows the extent to which students have acquired key knowledge and skills essential for full participation in social and economic life. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses the skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science as core domains. It also assesses innovative domains such as collaborative problem solving, global competence and creative thinking.
Key messages
In 70% of PISA-participating education systems the gap in mathematics performance related to socio-economic status did not change between 2018 and 2022 – mainly because both advantaged and disadvantaged students’ performance deteriorated during the period. However, PISA results show that education systems can both attain higher overall performance and minimise the impact of students’ socio-economic status on their performance. Furthermore, PISA results indicate which type of policy, universal or targeted, is more likely to have a strong impact on a particular education system.
The PISA 2022 results identified four education systems, namely Japan, Korea, Lithuania and Chinese Taipei, as being resilient. They maintained good outcomes for all social groups, and their students reported a continuing strong sense of belonging at school. Ten actions related to resilience include:
- Keeping schools open longer for more students
- Preparing students for autonomous learning
- Building strong foundations for learning and well-being for all students
- Limiting the distractions caused by using digital devices in class
- Strengthening school-family partnerships and keeping parents involved in students’ learning
- Delaying the age at selection into different education programmes
- Providing additional support to struggling students instead of requiring them to repeat a grade
- Ensuring adequate, high-quality education staff and material
- Establishing schools as hubs for social interaction
- Combining school autonomy with quality-assurance mechanisms
Context
Short-term performance trends in the context of pre-2018 trends
In Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Italy, Macao (China), Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Peru, Poland and Portugal, the pre-2018 trend in mathematics performance was positive but a full or partial reversal of these gains was observed in 2022. In contrast, mathematics performance was already deteriorating before the pandemic in Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Slovak Republic.
Change between 2018 and 2022 in mean mathematics, reading and science performance (2022)
Mathematics performance and socio-economic fairness
PISA results show that some education systems attain both higher overall performance and minimise the impact of students’ socio-economic status on their performance. These systems include Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Macao (China) and the United Kingdom.
Strength of socio-economic gradient and mathematics performance (2022)
