Pupils getting worse at reading, maths and science, PISA study shows

Pupils' maths and reading skills are declining across the globe, largely due to digitalisation and a drop in recreational reading.

The OECD's latest PISA report, which measures 15-year-olds' ability to use their reading, mathematics, and science skills, found that student performance across OECD countries reached a record low in maths and reading.

When looking at EU countries specifically, pupils in Spain, Croatia, Luxembourg, Malta, Greece, Romania, Cyprus, and Bulgaria score below the OECD average in reading, mathematics and science skills.

Only Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Austria, Poland and Czechia managed to secure a mean performance above the average.

Reading recorded the steepest decline, with scores falling by 28 points across OECD members between 2015 and 2025, with pupils from wealthy families being the ones who fell furthest behind.