Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has welcomed the publication of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 results, which show that students in Ireland continue to perform significantly above both EU and OECD averages in science, reading and mathematics.
Ireland ranked first among 27 EU countries for reading, third for science and fourth for mathematics, according to the results.
PISA assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students across three core areas: science, reading and mathematics. The 2025 assessment also included computational problem solving as its innovative domain, with Irish students performing above both EU and OECD averages in this area.
Science was the main domain for the 2025 assessment, meaning students completed a larger number of science questions, allowing for more detailed analysis of performance across different science competencies.
The results show that Irish students remain strong performers despite declines in scores across the three core domains at both OECD and EU level. Ireland also recorded declines, but these were smaller than those seen across the OECD and EU.
Ireland has a smaller proportion of lower-achieving students than the OECD and EU averages in all three core domains. In reading and science, the proportion of higher-achieving students is also above both international averages.
In mathematics, Ireland has a similar proportion of higher-achieving students to the EU average, although a lower proportion than the OECD average.
Science performance remained relatively stable, with Irish students achieving above OECD and EU averages across all science competency areas.
The results in computational problem solving were also encouraging, with students in Ireland performing above both international averages. As technology becomes increasingly important across education and employment, these skills are likely to remain an important area of development for students.
While Ireland continues to rank highly internationally in reading, the results show a decline in reading achievement, reflecting a broader international trend. Ireland nevertheless remains first in the EU for reading.
Mathematics performance also remains above the OECD and EU averages, although the decline in scores highlights the need for continued attention to numeracy and mathematics education.
The PISA 2025 main study was carried out in 172 schools across Ireland between March and April, with 6,356 students participating.
The 2025 cycle involved 91 countries and economies, including 38 OECD countries and 27 EU countries, making PISA one of the largest international studies of student performance.
Minister Naughton said the results demonstrate the strength and resilience of Ireland’s education system, while highlighting the continued need to support literacy, numeracy, science and digital skills.
She also praised the students, teachers, school leaders, parents and wider school communities whose work contributed to the results.
The latest results provide an international benchmark for understanding how Irish students are developing knowledge and applying skills in areas that extend beyond traditional academic measures.
For students and parents, they also highlight the importance of building strong foundations in reading, mathematics, science and emerging digital skills as young people prepare for further education and future careers.
Explore colleges, courses and education opportunities on WhichCollege.ie and start planning the next stage of your educational journey.
