One in Three EU Students Falls Below Basic Proficiency Levels

The European Commission has published its first EU-wide analysis of the PISA 2025 results to mark World Teachers’ Day. According to the report, EU PISA 2025: First Results, basic skills among 15-year-old students across the European Union continue to decline. The findings show that one in three students falls below the basic proficiency level in reading or mathematics, while one in four fails to reach this level in science.

The report identifies digital distractions, uncritical use of artificial intelligence (AI), declining parental involvement and growing teacher shortages as key factors contributing to falling educational performance. According to the analysis, a third of EU students are frequently distracted by digital devices during lessons. A similar proportion rely directly on AI to summarise texts they are expected to read themselves. In addition, four in ten students attend schools facing severe teacher shortages.

The report also highlights that disadvantaged students are four times more likely than their peers to fall below basic proficiency levels. The European Commission warns that these trends threaten the EU’s future competitiveness and social cohesion. To reverse the decline in basic skills and reduce educational inequalities, the Commission has introduced new initiatives, including the Action Plan on Basic Skills and the STEM Education Strategic Plan.