Estonia ranks among PISA leaders despite falling reading skills

Estonia was outperformed only by Japan and South Korea among OECD countries in the overall results of the 2025 PISA tests, ERR reported. However, education experts are concerned about the continued decline in functional reading skills.

“This is undoubtedly a day of celebration, because compared with others we are in a very good position. At the same time, it sets off an alarm bell,” said Gunda Tire, head of international studies at Estonia’s Education and Youth Board. “Over a 10-year period, PISA results have declined everywhere. The situation is better in Estonia and the picture is not as steep, but Estonia’s best results were actually in 2018.”

The OECD organises PISA tests every three years to assess the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds. In Estonia, the tests are generally taken by ninth-grade students. Unlike traditional examinations, PISA focuses less on how well students have learned the national curriculum and more on whether they can apply their knowledge of mathematics, science and functional reading in real life.

For the first time, the OECD also assessed computational problem-solving skills.

Estonian 15-year-olds have taken PISA tests since 2006. In 2022, only students from Singapore, Japan and South Korea, along with students from certain Chinese special administrative regions, scored higher than Estonian students in the overall results. The pattern was similar in the latest assessment.

In science, Estonia scored an average of 527 points, behind only Japan among OECD countries, which scored 538. In mathematics, Estonia scored 508 points, while Japan scored 525 and South Korea 522. In functional reading, Estonia scored 499 points, behind Japan with 503, South Korea with 501 and Ireland with 500.

In computational problem-solving, Estonia scored 541 points. Japan scored 557 and South Korea 538.

When non-OECD countries such as Singapore are included, and Chinese special administrative regions are treated separately, Estonia ranks sixth in science, eighth in mathematics and functional reading, and seventh in computational problem-solving.

Mathematics results improve slightly

Mathematics results caused concern among teachers in the PISA assessment conducted in 2022, when Estonia’s score fell by 13 points compared with three years earlier. In the PISA methodology and OECD analysis, a 20-point decline corresponds roughly to the knowledge and skills acquired during one school year.

In the latest assessment, Estonian students’ mathematics score fell by two points, to 508.