PISA 2026 (2025) Report, and the OECD
The PISA tests (Programme for International Student Assessment) are international educational assessments driven by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that measure the performance of 15-year-old students. [1, 2]
Main objective:
To evaluate education systems: Neither individual students nor schools are assessed; rather, the efficiency and overall quality of the education system in each participating country or region are evaluated. International comparison provides standardized data to compare results across countries and guide public policies for improvement.
Areas assessed:
Core competencies: Reading, mathematics, and science.
Frequency: They are conducted every three years using a randomly selected sample of students (generally 15-year-olds, the age at which compulsory secondary education ends in most places).
Question types: They include practical questions designed to see how students apply knowledge and skills to everyday situations or real-world problems, going beyond rote memorization.
The tests for the latest PISA report were administered in 2025. The results were released recently, in early September 2026.
The complete table of PISA 2026 (2025) results is shown below:
From this table, we draw the following conclusions:
1 It is notable that the top five spots are held by five Asian countries, with China in first place; this helps explain China's growing importance in technology (it is currently capable of manufacturing electric cars that are better than American ones and much cheaper).
2 The PISA tests and the subsequent report feature both OECD countries and non-OECD countries that participated in the assessments; the latter are classified as partner countries. It is significant that the top four positions are held by partner countries with close ties to China. The fifth country on the list is the first OECD member—Japan—which is also an Asian country.
3 The highest scores, achieved by China, are:
1 China: Science: 597, Reading: 527, Mathematics: 612, Average: 579
The OECD averages are:
Science: 482, Reading: 461, Mathematics: 463, Average: 469
The European Union averages are:
Science: 481, Reading: 463, Mathematics: 459, Average: 468
Spain's averages are:
Science: 477, Reading: 451, Mathematics: 457, Average: 462
The lowest scores belong to Rwanda:
91 Rwanda: Science: 317, Reading: 301, Mathematics: 312, Average: 310.
Regarding Spain's standing within the group and within Europe: in science, it is 4 points below the European Union average and 5 points below the OECD average; in reading, 12 points below the European Union and 10 points below the OECD; in mathematics, 2 points below the European Union and 6 points below the OECD; Regarding the average across the three competencies, it stands 6 points below the European average and 7 points below the OECD average. It ranks 32nd out of the 91 countries on the overall list and 20th out of the 39 European countries included.
When looking specifically at Europe—and comparing it with key Western nations—Spain occupies one of the lowest positions; it outperforms only Luxembourg, Norway, and Greece, while trailing behind all the others: Portugal, France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, and the United Kingdom.
However, Spain labors under a significant disadvantage—a heavy burden: the 1936 coup d'état and civil war, the Franco regime during Franco's lifetime, and the legacy of Francoism persisting from his death to the present day. The Second Republic had championed civic engagement, education, and public healthcare, leading to substantial growth in public education (such as reduced illiteracy and increased school enrollment) and significant healthcare development in both research and practice. Had that progress not been criminally interrupted—considering its political approach and the growth achieved during its brief existence (April 1931 to July 1936)—Spain would today stand on par with Europe's leading nations in terms of PISA rankings and GDP per capita (see https://arcmediterrani.blogspot.com/2025/07/espanya-al-si-deuropa-pib-dels-distints.html). The Republic prioritized people and citizens over privileges and the privileged—the exact opposite of the current policies pursued by parliaments and governments led by the PP or PP-Vox coalitions, which place privileges and the privileged first, leaving citizens and the general public far behind. While the Republic pursued policies centered on education and training for all—as well as the improvement and universal expansion of healthcare—PP and PP-Vox governments have dismantled public education and universal healthcare, favoring private education and private healthcare (often subsidized by public funds) that are inherently exclusive. The results are reflected in PISA reports and GDP per capita figures, with Spain trailing other European countries in both metrics.
Regarding Spain's Autonomous Communities, here are the results from the 2025–2026 PISA report (tests conducted in 2025, with results published in September 2026):
As for the Balearic Islands, while Spain’s average ranks among the lowest in Western Europe, the Balearic Islands fall short even of that Spanish average; they sit in eleventh place out of the 18 regions compared—or twelfth out of 19 if Catalonia is included. If Spain as a whole fares poorly compared to other Western European nations, the Balearic Islands fare even worse. This is due not only to the burden weighing on the entire country but also to the disastrous educational policies implemented by the PP-Vox governments in the Balearic Islands. Throughout the time we have been analyzing educational outcomes, we have consistently found that whenever policies disadvantage public education while favoring private education—across all levels, from early childhood to university—overall results are significantly lower. In science, the region scores 471 points—6 below the Spanish average, 10 below the European average, and 11 below the OECD average; in reading, it scores 449 points—2 below the Spanish average, 14 below the European average, and 12 below the OECD average; in mathematics, it scores 441 points—16 below the Spanish average, 18 below the European average, and 22 below the OECD average; and the overall average is 454 points—8 below the Spanish average, 14 below the European average, and 15 below the OECD average. These results are dismal and deeply concerning. If the Islands had responsible governments—and in three and a half years, they have shown no signs of responsibility—they would step up and adopt an educational policy completely opposite to the one currently in place.
The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is an international intergovernmental organization that coordinates policies to improve people's economic and social well-being.
It serves as a forum where governments compare public policies, seek solutions to common problems, and identify best practices.
Founded in 1961, it is headquartered in Paris, France. It analyzes data, publishes economic forecasts, and establishes international standards in areas such as taxation, education, and the environment.
There are 20 founding countries: Germany (then West Germany), Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, the United States, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
Currently, the OECD has 38 member countries from various continents: Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (founding member), the United States, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
The OECD organizes the PISA assessments and reports, which are conducted every three years. OECD member countries participate, as do other countries—known as partner countries—that have been admitted to participate despite not being members. The list of partner countries may vary from one cycle to the next. There are 61 participating "partner" countries (non-OECD members) from all over the world:
Asia: Singapore, Macao (China), Hong Kong (China), Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Authority; Latin America and the Caribbean: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica; Europe (non-OECD members): Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia. Note: Malta and Cyprus have also participated in some editions; Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Zambia.
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