The key facts

  • More than 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economies took part in the study; the OECD report was published in September 2026.
  • Four regions of China: 597 points in science and 612 in mathematics; Singapore leads in reading (535), Macao in computational problems (572).
  • The OECD average for 2015–2025 fell by 28 points in reading and 22 in mathematics; about one in five students does not reach the baseline level (16% in 2022).

Results and leaders of the study

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the PISA report in September 2026. More than 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economies took part in the study; their skills in science, mathematics, reading literacy and computational problem solving were assessed. The four regions of China that participated in the assessment scored 597 points in science and 612 in mathematics. In Singapore, these figures were 560 and 563 points respectively, with Singapore becoming the leader in reading literacy with 535 points. In computational problem solving, Macao was ahead with 572 points; Singapore scored 563, and the four regions of China 560 points.

Other high-performing countries

Japan, Estonia and South Korea were also among the high-performing countries. In science, Japan scored 538 points, Estonia 527, and South Korea 526. Good results in this area were also noted in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Finland.

Limitations of interpretation

As noted in the publication, it is incorrect to treat the PISA results as a single overall ranking of education systems: the assessment compares students' knowledge and skills in individual areas. A country may show a high result in mathematics while ranking differently in reading literacy.

Alarming trends

The report identified the decline of basic academic skills in many developed countries as an alarming aspect. Between 2015 and 2025, the OECD countries' average score fell by 28 points in reading literacy and by 22 points in mathematics; the decline in science was relatively smaller. According to the report, roughly one in five students in the organisation's countries does not reach the baseline level of preparation in any of the three main areas — science, reading and mathematics; in 2022, the share of such students was 16%.

OECD recommendations

The OECD emphasised the need to strengthen basic academic skills, improve teaching quality and reduce in-class distraction caused by digital devices. In the organisation's view, even amid the growing role of technology, reading, comprehension and numeracy skills remain the foundation of education.