Young People’s Reading Skills Fall to Lowest Level of the Century
The OECD’s 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results revealed a significant decline in the academic performance of 15-year-old students worldwide. According to the assessment, which involved approximately 760,000 students from 91 countries, the decline in reading skills in particular has raised concerns about students’ ability to understand texts and evaluate information in depth.
PISA results showed that the average reading score fell from 501 in 2012 to 466 in 2025. The OECD noted that this decline cannot be explained solely by problems within education systems and suggested that the increasing amount of time young people spend on digital devices in their daily lives may also be an important factor. OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann pointed to the growing amount of time students spend in front of screens while spending less time reading books.
The study indicated that students are increasingly reading texts more quickly and superficially. This trend could make it more difficult for students to fully understand what they read and to evaluate complex information effectively. Another notable finding was that the decline in reading performance was also significant among students from more affluent families.
The decline was not limited to reading. Students’ average science score fell from 506 in 2009 to 486 in 2025, while their mathematics score declined from 502 in 2003 to 469 in 2025. The report also examined the impact of artificial intelligence use on education. Approximately half of the students were reported to regularly use AI chatbots for learning purposes. However, students who relied heavily on AI for tasks such as completing assignments, summarizing texts, and conducting research scored approximately 20 points lower in science than other students.