The key facts

  • The share of students below the basic level in mathematics has grown in almost all European countries compared with 2018.
  • In North Macedonia the figure reached 68%, in Estonia — 17.2% (10.2% in 2018).
  • Turkey is the only country with an improvement: from 36.6% to 35.7%; in Norway the figure almost doubled — from 18.9% to 38%.

Growth in the share of weak mathematics results in Europe

The PISA study tests not only schoolchildren's mathematical knowledge but also their ability to apply it in practical situations. As Naked Science reports, citing Eurostat data, compared with 2018 the share of students with low mathematics results has grown in almost all European countries.

Countries with the worst and best figures

In North Macedonia the share of those not reaching the basic level grew from 61% to 68%. In Bulgaria, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania, more than half of students did not reach the basic level. Estonia showed the best result: 17.2% of students below the basic level, although even there the figure worsened — in 2018 it was 10.2%. In Switzerland the share of such students is 23.2%, in Ireland — 24.2%.

Turkey — the only country with an improvement

Turkey turned out to be the only country in the comparison where the figure slightly improved: the share of students with low results fell from 36.6% in 2018 to 35.7% in 2025.

The sharpest deterioration — in Norway

The sharpest deterioration was recorded in Norway: the share of those not reaching the basic level grew from 18.9% to 38%, that is, almost doubled. A significant decline in results was also noted in Cyprus, Slovenia and Iceland.

What the basic level means in PISA

PISA assesses mathematical literacy across six main levels. The second level is considered basic: a student who reaches it possesses the minimal mathematical skills necessary for life and work in modern society. Not reaching the basic level does not mean the student knows no mathematics at all — it means their ability to apply knowledge to solve practical problems is below the established minimum threshold.