PISA 2025: 1% of Armenians Reached the Highest Level

Armenian students’ average scores in mathematics, reading, and science are below the average performance of countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). According to the 2025 results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), in which Armenia participated for the first time, the results stand out not only because of the low average scores, but also because very few students reach the highest proficiency levels, while a large proportion of students do not reach even the minimum proficiency threshold.

According to the published data, the proportion of high-performing students in Armenia is very small. In mathematics, only 1% of students reached Level 5 or 6, compared with an OECD average of 8%.

At these PISA proficiency levels, students are expected to be able to mathematically model complex situations, as well as select, compare, and evaluate appropriate problem-solving strategies.

For comparison, the highest shares of students reaching these levels were recorded in seven Asian countries and economies: 54% in China, 37% in Singapore, 32% in Chinese Taipei, 29% in Macao (China), 23% in Korea, 22% in Japan, and 21% in Hong Kong (China).

Among the 91 countries and economies that participated in PISA 2025, 13 had more than 10% of students reaching Level 5 or 6 in mathematics.

At the same time, compared with the OECD average, a smaller share of Armenian students reached the minimum baseline level (Level 2) or higher simultaneously across all three core subjects: mathematics, reading, and science.