Georgia’s PISA Scores Improve Since 2022 But Remain Below OECD Average

The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, published on September 8, show that 15-year-old students in Georgia have improved their performance in mathematics, reading, and science compared to the 2022 assessment. Despite these gains, Georgian students continue to score significantly below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average in all three subjects.

The study, which evaluates the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies, recorded an average score for Georgia of 422 in science, 416 in mathematics, and 384 in reading. These figures represent a rise from the 2022 scores of 384, 390, and 374, respectively. While the results in science and mathematics reached historic highs for the country, reading scores remain lower than those recorded in 2015.

The report noted that these improvements occurred against the backdrop of a broader international decline in student performance. Globally, the OECD reported the lowest average levels of performance ever observed in science, reading, and mathematics. In Georgia, the assessment involved 6,855 students from 265 schools.

Despite the progress, a substantial portion of Georgian students remain below the baseline level of proficiency defined by PISA. In reading, 61 percent of Georgian students performed below Level 2, compared to 31 percent across OECD countries. In mathematics, 53 percent fell below the baseline, compared to 35 percent in the OECD, while in science, 45 percent of Georgian students were below the baseline, compared to 26 percent internationally.

The data also highlighted persistent disparities within the country. Private-school students outperformed their public-school counterparts in all subjects. Additionally, the analysis identified significant performance gaps based on the language of instruction, with particularly low results observed among students in Azerbaijani-language schools.

Government officials have praised the results. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that Georgia ranked first among the 91 participating countries in terms of improvement in science performance. He attributed the progress to ongoing education reforms, though he acknowledged that shortcomings remain. Education Minister Givi Mikanadze echoed these sentiments, describing the findings as positive news.

Critics have offered a more cautious interpretation. Simon Janashia, an education expert and member of the opposition Freedom Square party, characterized the improvements as insignificant when viewed from a long-term perspective rather than solely comparing them to the 2022 post-pandemic results. Janashia also questioned the validity of the gains, alleging that Georgian schools were instructed to have students practice the test format prior to the 2025 assessment.

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Article and image source: civil.ge