Global Student Skills Decline, Israel Faces Significant Drop

A recent international PISA study for 2025 reveals a worrying global decline in functional literacy among 15-year-olds, particularly in developed nations. Over forty countries have seen a deterioration in reading and text comprehension skills, with only a few showing improvement. This "cognitive crisis" is characterized not by a narrowing of the achievement gap, but by a sharp decline in the performance of top students. The proportion of functionally illiterate students in developed countries has risen from 16% to 20%.

Even Finland's renowned education system has seen a significant downturn, dropping to 17th place globally. Israel is experiencing a particularly severe situation, with scores plummeting by 38 points in just three years, and the rate of failing students reaching 41%. Experts note that this negative trend predates the COVID-19 pandemic, which only accelerated the decline.

Modern technology, including gadgets and artificial intelligence, is identified as a primary suspect. Schools with moderate technology use perform best, while regular use of AI chatbots for assignments correlates with poorer academic results. Traditional links between educational spending and student success are also weakening, with high-spending nations lagging behind those with more modest budgets. Teacher qualifications and effective government policy are now seen as more critical than financial investment.

The report's authors advocate for a reevaluation of widespread digitalization in education, emphasizing the need for concentration, information interpretation, and deep text analysis. France and Singapore are highlighted as models for prioritizing literature, physical books, and critical reading across all subjects. The consensus is that technology is only effective when students possess foundational skills for its conscious application.