Israel's PISA Test Scores Plummet in Latest OECD Rankings

Recent data from the OECD's PISA tests, conducted in early 2025, reveal a significant decline in the academic performance of Israeli students across all tested areas. The results, published for the first time by i24NEWS, show a drop in Israel's rankings in reading, mathematics, and science compared to the 2022 assessments.

Specifically, Israel fell one place in mathematics, two places in science, and experienced the most substantial decline of five places in reading. This downturn brings the country's performance back to levels seen in 2018, reversing improvements noted in 2022.

The article highlights that the tests were administered while Israel was engaged in ongoing conflict, including fighting on multiple fronts, the presence of hostages in Gaza, and rocket fire towards its civilian areas. Despite these challenging circumstances and the potential option to withdraw from the tests, the Ministry of Education chose to participate.

These results follow a prolonged period of educational disruption in Israel, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent war, which led to significant interruptions in learning continuity for many students. The report suggests that these factors have severely impacted students' academic progress.