PISA 2025

About PISA 

PISA assesses and compares educational systems worldwide by testing the abilities of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science every three years. Key functions include:

• Benchmarking Educational Systems: Results help countries understand how their students perform relative to global peers.
  
• Policy Guidance: Insights from PISA inform educational policies and curriculum reforms.
  
• Trend Analysis: By tracking performance over time, PISA identifies emerging global trends and areas for improvement.
  
• Real-World Focus: The test emphasizes practical application over rote knowledge, preparing students for future challenges.

–

How Did Singapore Do in the PISA Rankings

The PISA rankings are done once every 3 years (with the last ranking in 2022). 

In the most recent PISA 2022 assessment, Singapore achieved top rankings across multiple domains:

Mathematics: Singapore secured the highest average score of 575, with 41% of students attaining proficiency levels 5 or 6, significantly surpassing the OECD average of 9%. 

Science: Students achieved an average score of 561, maintaining Singapore’s leading position in this domain. 

Reading: With an average score of 543, Singapore students continued to demonstrate strong reading skills. 

Creative Thinking: Singapore also excelled in the newly assessed domain of creative thinking, ranking first among participating countries. (A representative sampling of 6,600 15-year-old students across all 149 secondary schools and 15 private schools3 in Singapore participated in the study from April to May 2022.)

PISA 2025 Science Framework

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted by the OECD, measures the proficiency of 15-year-olds worldwide in reading, mathematics, and science. PISA 2025 introduces several changes, reflecting an evolving focus in science education and global priorities:

Shift in Framework Focus:

Earlier assessments focused on “scientific literacy,” emphasizing the ability to apply scientific knowledge. The 2025 framework broadens this to the general outcomes of science education, aligning it more closely with frameworks for mathematics and reading.

Competency Redesign:

Two previous competencies, “Evaluate and design scientific enquiry” and “Interpret data and evidence scientifically,” have been merged into:

 –
“Construct and evaluate designs for scientific enquiry and interpret scientific data and evidence critically.”

–

This change places greater emphasis on evaluation of experimental designs over experiment creation, acknowledging that most adults engage more in evaluating information than designing experiments.

New Competency:

Reflecting the modern information age, students are now assessed on their ability to “research, evaluate, and use scientific information for decision-making and action.” This skill addresses the importance of discerning credible information amidst the vast scientific content available online.

Focus on Science Identity:

Instead of attitudes towards science, the 2025 framework measures “science identity,” a broader concept capturing students’ engagement and self-perception in science. This approach offers a deeper understanding of how students relate to and see themselves in scientific roles.

Sustainability and Environmental Education:

A new focus on “Agency in the Anthropocene” synthesizes competencies related to sustainability and environmental responsibility. This reflects the urgent need for education to address global challenges like climate change.