Singapore Students Rank Top in Reading and Second in Multiple Domains in PISA 2025

Singapore's 15 year old students ranked first globally in reading and second in mathematics, science, and computational problem solving according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025. The study, conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), involved 6,600 students from 145 public secondary schools and 12 private schools in Singapore. Macau ranked first in computational problem solving, while China led in mathematics and science.

The 2025 assessment introduced a new domain called Learning in the Digital World, which measures computational problem solving. This area evaluates how students use computational thinking and digital tools to solve real world problems, such as programming a robotic claw to sort objects or modelling fitness for astronauts. More than half of Singapore's students were classified as top performers in this domain, compared to an OECD average of 25 percent.

Singapore also recorded the highest proportion of academic all rounders, with 15 percent of students performing at the top two proficiency levels across reading, mathematics, and science. This is significantly higher than the OECD average of 3 percent. Additionally, Singaporean students ranked second in a new environmental science module.

Despite these rankings, the Ministry of Education noted that Singapore students perceived their families as less supportive of their learning than their OECD peers. For example, 49 percent reported weekly family discussions about school performance, while the OECD average was 60 percent. The Ministry of Education also mentioned a widening achievement gap and is expanding support for disadvantaged students through resources like ComLink+.

Global trends in the PISA 2025 report showed the lowest OECD average performance recorded so far in science, reading, and mathematics. The report highlighted a decline in critical skills such as evaluating information and thinking critically, noting that the share of hasty readers almost doubled between 2018 and 2025.