Northern Ireland's latest performance in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has reinforced the case for education reform, with a marked slide in reading and mathematics over the past decade despite overall results remaining above the OECD average.

PISA, the leading international benchmark assessing the skills of 15-year-olds in mathematics, reading and science, was conducted in Northern Ireland between September and October 2025.

The 2025 results point to significant downward trends in average reading and mathematics scores since 2015, alongside a reduction in the share of pupils achieving Level 2 or above—the internationally recognised baseline proficiency needed for effective participation in learning and life.

In mathematics, 30% of pupils are now performing below Level 2, compared with 19% in 2015.

While Northern Ireland remained above the OECD average across science, reading and mathematics in 2025, pupils were outperformed in all three domains by both England and the Republic of Ireland. Performance was significantly above that of Wales and not significantly different to Scotland.

Socioeconomic background continues to be a strong determinant of outcomes. Pupils eligible for Free School Meals posted significantly lower average scores in science, reading and mathematics than those not eligible.

Education Minister Paul Givan said: "I welcome the latest PISA results for Northern Ireland. Whilst pupils in Northern Ireland continue to perform well against other international education systems, it is clear that education systems across the world are facing significant challenges and Northern Ireland is no exception.

"These results should serve as a wake-up call. While Northern Ireland remains a strong-performing education system by international standards, we should not confuse relative success with sufficient progress.

"The measure of a successful education system is not simply how well its highest achievers perform, but how effectively it supports every child to succeed. On that measure, these results show there is much more work to do.

"If literacy and numeracy are the currency of opportunity, too many of our young people are leaving education without the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. This is not good enough, and it underlines the need for the TransformED Reform Programme." Key findings published alongside the results confirm Northern Ireland's above-OECD-average standing in 2025, the significant declines in average reading and mathematics since 2015, the persistent influence of socioeconomic status on attainment, and relative performance that is above Wales, broadly similar to Scotland, but below England and the Republic of Ireland.

Paul Givan continued: "Telling ourselves we have a world class education system is no substitute for having a world class education system. These results show that we cannot be complacent. A highly educated population is critical to Northern Ireland's economic prosperity and social wellbeing. International companies often decide where to invest based on how an education system performs, and we are not competing as well as we should on the world stage.

"As technology continues to reshape the labour market, it is both possible and necessary to ensure more young people achieve at higher levels than ever before. We cannot afford for any child or young person to be left behind.

"That is why my Department's TransformED programme is both essential and unapologetically ambitious, delivering reform at pace to drive higher standards, greater equity and improved outcomes for all learners.

"These results provide a clear call to action and a compelling case for sustained reform and investment. There is a clear need to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds more effectively, close persistent attainment gaps and reverse the decline in reading and mathematics outcomes."

The full national report is available at: www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/programme-international-student-assessment-pisa. The OECD international PISA report can be found at: www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/pisa.html. Further information is provided in the Written Ministerial Statement: www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/written-ministerial-statement-publication-programme-international-student-assessment-pisa-2025-northern-ireland-national-report-volume-1

PISA 2025 involved 91 education systems, including Northern Ireland. Here, 3,445 15-year-old pupils from 104 schools took part. The study was delivered for the Department of Education by Pearson, with Northern Ireland analysis and reporting undertaken by the UCL Institute of Education. Pearson, working with UCL IOE and the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment, was contracted as the National Centre for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Associate Professor Grace Grima served as National Programme Manager.