Greek students posted a smaller decline in the latest PISA international assessment than the OECD average, halting a decade of widening gaps with global peers even as worldwide scores fell to their lowest levels since the test began in 2000, according to results presented y by the OECD's Directorate for Education and Skills, led by Andreas Schleicher.
The PISA 2025 survey tested 765,000 students representing 33 million teens across 91 countries — 10 more than in 2022 — in science, math, reading and, for the first time, digital problem-solving.
Reading scores fell sharply worldwide, even in traditionally strong systems such as Finland, Estonia and South Korea.
Greece's math scores dropped 6 points, compared with an 11-point decline across OECD countries that have taken part in every PISA cycle and a 12-point drop across the European Union.
Science fell 7 points in Greece versus 5 points for the OECD, while reading dropped 16 points, roughly in line with the OECD's 16-point decline.
Still, nearly half of Greek students — up to 49.5% in math — finish compulsory schooling without basic functional literacy or numeracy, the report found. In a new digital problem-solving test, Greek students scored 461, below the OECD average of 500, ranking 47th of 91 countries.
Greece recorded record participation this cycle, with 6,858 students from 229 schools — 95% of the eligible population — aided by new laptops, teacher stipends and expanded digital resources.
Officials pointed to planned reforms, including a national high school exit exam, as grounds for further gains before the next PISA cycle in 2029.