Singapore and Mainland China Lead Global Student Rankings as OECD Scores Hit Record Low
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Singapore and mainland China have claimed the top positions in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), one of the world's most comprehensive education evaluations, even as OECD member countries recorded their lowest average scores in the assessment's history. The triennial study, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, tested 760,000 fifteen-year-old students across 91 countries and economies—the largest since the first edition in 2000. While mainland China's students from four eastern provinces excelled in mathematics and science, Singapore outperformed its neighbour in reading and digital problem-solving, underscoring a broader trend of East Asian educational dominance.
Key Points
- Singapore achieved 535 points in reading, outpacing mainland China's 527, and posted strong results in mathematics (563 points) and science (560 points)
- Mainland China led globally in mathematics with 612 points and science with 597 points, vastly surpassing the OECD averages of 463 and 482 respectively
- The 2025 assessment expanded to include a computational problem-solving module, testing students' ability to use programming tools and design digital products
- Macau topped the new digital problem-solving module with 572 points, followed by Singapore at 563 and mainland China at 560, all well above the OECD average of 500
- Other high-performing education systems included Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, with Singapore and mainland China maintaining strict classroom discipline and limited digital distractions
Why It Matters
The record low scores among OECD nations contrast sharply with the stellar performance of East Asian education systems, signalling a potential shift in global educational leadership. For Hong Kong, which competes in PISA as part of assessments but was not highlighted in this report, the findings underscore the competitive pressure from regional neighbours and the need to evaluate whether local educational approaches can match the rigour demonstrated by Singapore and mainland China. The strong showing of Macau, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea further illustrates how concentrated educational investment and cultural emphasis on academic achievement continue to drive exceptional outcomes across the region.
The record low scores among OECD nations contrast sharply with the stellar performance of East Asian education systems, signalling a potential shift in global educational leadership. For Hong Kong, which competes in PISA as part of assessments but was not highlighted in this report, the findings underscore the competitive pressure from regional neighbours and the need to evaluate whether local educational approaches can match the rigour demonstrated by Singapore and mainland China. The strong showing of Macau, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea further illustrates how concentrated educational investment and cultural emphasis on academic achievement continue to drive exceptional outcomes across the region.