Cyprus’s 15-year-olds ranked last in the European Union for reading and science in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 study, with 62 per cent lacking basic reading skills, against 31 per cent across the EU.
Forty-three per cent lacked basic skills in all three subjects tested, compared with 21 per cent in the EU. In maths, 56 per cent fell short (EU: 34 per cent), and in science 52 per cent (EU: 26 per cent).
Education Minister Athena Michaelidou described the results as consistently low at a press conference where they were presented. “There are a great many issues we need to look at. We have a long way to go,” she said.
How Cyprus compares
Cyprus trailed Bulgaria, Romania and Greece in both science and reading. Its science score of 411 was the lowest average of the 27 member states, against 421 for Bulgaria, 425 for Romania and 434 for Greece. In reading it scored 379, compared with 387, 413 and 423 respectively. Reading also showed the biggest fall in the OECD average.
In maths, Cyprus was second from bottom on 412 points, ahead of Bulgaria (405) but behind Romania (419) and Greece (424).
Change since 2022
Compared with PISA 2022, Cyprus fell six points in maths, from 418 to 412, and two points in reading, from 381 to 379. Its science score was unchanged at 411.
Other findings
Cyprus ranked first for rushed answers. Almost a quarter of students (24.9 per cent) spent no more than ten seconds on an answer and five per cent did not answer at all, against ten per cent and 2.7 per cent in the EU.
Students from low socio-economic backgrounds improved their performance, the study showed.
Reforms
Michaelidou said the crucial question was what to do, and that reform would take the study into account as a tool. She said civic education had already been reinstated at every level of schooling, and the work week restored in upper secondary schools.
Other changes under way include cutting and updating the curriculum, bringing what is taught into line with what is examined, expanding financial literacy teaching and changing how students are assessed.
She added that other studies had shown better results in reading comprehension and among younger pupils.
