Today, Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and OECD Deputy Secretary-General Douglas Frantz presented the 2015 results of the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA), which compares the performance of 15-year-old students in education systems around the world.
Commissioner Tibor Navracsics said: “Basic Skills are crucial for success not only in school, but also later in life, in further education and in the labour market. Too many young Europeans are not sufficiently well prepared for the challenges of modern, highly innovative societies. We must continue to support Member States in overcoming disadvantages related to social or immigrant background. High quality early childhood education and care play an important role here, just like good teacher education and training. I strongly believe that determined action today will contribute to reducing social exclusion tomorrow and to building a socially cohesive European society.”
Every three years, PISA evaluates the quality, equity and efficiency of school systems and student outcomes. It is worth noting that in 2015, for the first time ever, all EU Member States took part in PISA in the same year, which allows comparing across the EU. However, in most EU countries, more than 15% of 15-year-olds are not able to tackle tasks that require, at least, a minimal ability and disposition to think autonomously in one of the tested domains. Boosting basic skills will be one focus of the review of the Key Competences Framework that the Commission is launching next year. Across the OECD, more than one in five students falls short of baseline proficiency.
PISA 2015 covers the 35 OECD member countries as well 37 non-OECD countries and economies. PISA Volumes I and II as well as the OECD press release are available online.
