PISA study 2022: educational attainment is falling internationally 

Education levels have fallen internationally, according to the latest PISA study. This is not only due to the pandemic. In Germany, performance in reading and mathematics has fallen to a historic low.

The eighth PISA-Studie was conducted in 2022 and tested the skills of 15-year-olds worldwide. Around 690,000 pupils from 81 countries took part. The survey covered performance in mathematics, science and reading.

What are the results of the current PISA study?

According to the 2022 PISA study, the overall level of education fell sharply in two areas in particular: compared to 2018, the OECD average in mathematics fell from 489 to 472 points and reading literacy from 487 to 476 points - equivalent to the learning progress of three quarters of a school year. One in four pupils is considered to be underachieving. In contrast, the level in the natural sciences fell only slightly from 489 to 485 points.

Performances are declining

This is only partly due to the pandemic. According to the latest report, performance in reading and science had already begun to decline before the pandemic, and math results had already deteriorated in some countries before coronavirus. In over 30 countries, performance in mathematics and science remained largely the same, while in others it even increased in mathematics and reading literacy.

Focus on mathematics

The focus of the 2022 PISA study was on mathematics. Singapore again achieved the best results, followed by other East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea. In Europe, Estonia and Switzerland are the frontrunners. Ireland even came second internationally in reading.

Financial literacy and, for the first time, creative thinking were also tested - the results of this survey will be published in 2024.

Source: www.deutschlandfunk.de