Filipino students improve PISA scores, but proficiency lags

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter THE PHILIPPINES saw improved scores for reading, mathematics and science in the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), but most 15-year-old Filipino students still had below baseline proficiency in all three subjects. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) PISA 2025 study showed mean scores of 15-year-old Filipino students rose to 373 in science, 371 in mathematics, and 367 in reading. Compared with the 2022 study, Filipino students' mean scores increased by 17 points in science, 16 points in mathematics, and 20 points in reading. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' M. Angara said these were the Philippines' highest scores since joining PISA in 2018. 'This is a significant achievement for our learners and for the entire Philippine education system. But more than the numbers, we are seeing evidence that our learners are capable of making real and meaningful progress,' he said in a statement. Still, the Philippines remained below the OECD average scores of 482 in science, 463 in mathematics and 461 in reading. The results put the Philippines at 76th out of 90 participating countries and economies in science, 73rd out of 89 in mathematics and 71st out of 89 in reading. OECD Directorate for Education and Skills Director Andreas Schleicher said the gains reflected broader efforts to strengthen the education system. 'I do think it is an example of a country that got its act together, put education first, and achieved remarkable improvements,' Mr. Schleicher said in a press conference on Tuesday. 'They come down to an education system that has given education its priority, that has focused on building strong foundations, that has invested a lot in helping struggling students catch up, including after the pandemic,' he added. PISA is an OECD-led international assessment that measures the knowledge, skills and attitudes of 15-year-old students, including how well they can solve complex problems, think critically and communicate effectively. More than 760,000 students from 91 countries and economies participated in the PISA in 2025. In the Philippines, 8,072 students from 208 schools completed the assessment, representing about 1.75 million 15-year-olds, or an estimated 82% of the country's 15-year-old population. However, the improvement in the Philippines' scores came from a low base. Only 32% of Filipino students reached at least Level 2 proficiency in science, compared with 74% across OECD countries. In mathematics, 21% reached the baseline level, against 65%, while 31% attained at least Level 2 in reading, compared with 69%. Among eight Southeast Asian peers, the Philippines remained a laggard as it ranked last in science, sixth in mathematics and sixth in reading. In science, Singapore had the highest score with 560, followed by Vietnam (457), Brunei Darussalam (439), Thailand (432), Malaysia (419), Indonesia (389), Cambodia (382) and the Philippines. Singapore again dominated mathematics with a score of 563, followed by Vietnam (443), Brunei Darussalam (435), Thailand (407) and Malaysia (397). The Philippines was only ahead of Cambodia (366) and Indonesia (364). In reading, Singapore posted the highest score with 535, followed by Brunei Darussalam (426), Malaysia (393), Vietnam (392) and Thailand (392). The Philippines was ahead of Indonesia (365) and Cambodia (347). Mr. Schleicher said the Philippines could learn from higher-performing education systems in East Asia, particularly in setting high expectations for all students and directing resources toward those who need them most. 'The students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds show very similar success rates… They set very high expectations for every student. There's no compromise,' he said. Mr. Schleicher said East Asian education systems were also effective at aligning resources with needs, including attracting highly talented teachers to more challenging classrooms and placing strong school leaders in the toughest schools. 'They have rigorous and focused instruction environments. This is something the Philippines is also currently building, but I think the environment for education, the capacity to make teaching one of the most attractive careers, I think there are some very important lessons a country like the Philippines can learn by looking East to their most advanced education systems,' he said. Chinese jurisdictions of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (BSJZ) were the highest performers across the three core subjects with 597 in science, 612 in mathematics and 527 in reading. China (BSJZ) and Singapore were the highest performers across the three subjects along with Estonia, Japan, Korea, Macao (China), Chinese Taipei and the United Kingdom. FOCUS ON STUDENTS Meanwhile, Mr. Angara said the gains in PISA scores should encourage the Department of Education (DepEd) to build on the improvements while continuing to focus on students who are struggling. 'We should be proud of how far our learners and teachers have come, but we should be even more determined about how much farther we can go,' he said. According to the DepEd, the OECD's 10-year trend analysis showed the Philippines as the fastest-improving country in reading performance. 'The OECD likewise identified the Philippines among countries with notable improvement in mathematics. In science, the Philippines recorded a positive long-term trend despite an overall decline in science performance globally,' the department said. However, Mr. Angara said more work remained, particularly in addressing inequities and sustaining reforms to improve learning outcomes and support teachers and schools. The PISA report had showed the gains did not translate into narrower achievement gaps across all three subjects. The OECD said the gap between the highest- and lowest-performing Filipino students widened in science between 2022 and 2025, while changes were not statistically significant in mathematics and reading.