All 13 Latin American countries assessed in the PISA 2025 report, released Tuesday, scored below the OECD averages in the three subjects measured, in an edition marked by broad declines and by Argentina's worst performance since it began taking part in the test.
The assessment, which the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development administers every three years to enrolled 15-year-olds, was the largest in the series: more than 760,000 students from 91 countries and economies took part. OECD averages stood at 461 points in reading, 463 in mathematics and 482 in science, the lowest figures recorded since the test was first applied. This round also added computational problem-solving as a fourth domain.
Argentina scored 367 points in mathematics, 389 in reading and 393 in science, down 11, 12 and 13 points respectively from 2022 and its weakest results since the series began in 2006. Only 24% of Argentine students reached level 2 in mathematics — the threshold the OECD considers basic — against 65% across the organization. The report also records a widening gap between the country's highest and lowest performing students in mathematics and science between 2022 and 2025. Regionally, Argentina placed behind Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and Peru.
Uruguay posted the strongest performance in the region. According to the national report released by the National Public Education Administration (ANEP), the country reached 444.5 points in science — some nine more than in 2022 and its best result on record — 423.2 in reading, seven below the previous round, and 404.9 in mathematics, a statistically stable figure. Uruguay led the region in science and mathematics and ranked second in reading behind Chile. Even so, it remains below the OECD in all three areas: 58% of its students fail to reach the minimum level in mathematics and 43% fall short in reading.
Chile fell twelve points in reading, to 436, and nine in mathematics, to 403, while science held steady at 442. Since 2015, the share of students performing below the basic threshold has risen ten percentage points in both mathematics and reading. Brazil was essentially unchanged from 2022, with 408 points in reading, 377 in mathematics and 409 in science. Mexico dropped to 388 in mathematics, its lowest mark since 2006, and to 408 in reading, with a slight improvement in science to 414.
The OECD added a caveat for reading the declines in Colombia and Costa Rica, where secondary enrollment expanded over the past decade. The organization said the apparent setback in mathematics and reading is linked to the integration of students from previously marginalized populations into the system. PISA assesses only young people who are in school, so countries with higher dropout rates are measured on a smaller share of the age cohort.
Outside the region, the United States recorded 490 points in reading, fourteen fewer than in 2022 and its lowest level since the assessment began in 2000. Mathematics also hit a record low, while science remained stable. The test's organizers cautioned that the US student response rate and the volume of exclusions fell below required technical standards, meaning bias in the results cannot be ruled out.
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Pytangua
Read all commentsThe main reasoin is - once again - the extreme inequality in the region. Private schools that cater for the richest 5% are generally good quality while state schools are poor, in part because of lack of meritocracy, clientelism and associated corruption with many teachers being less committed to a work ethic. The problem is that the ruling elite don't give a damn about raising the quality of state education because neither they nor their children attend. Nor do they have a 'one nation' mentality (as in South-east Asia) because of deep-rooted racism which they will always strongly deny.
Posted 22 hours ago -1Please log in or register (it’s free!) to comment. Login with Facebook
Facts Only
* Thirteen Latin American countries were assessed in the PISA 2025 report.
* The assessment measured reading, mathematics, and science.
* OECD averages were 461 in reading, 463 in mathematics, and 482 in science.
* Argentina scored 367 in mathematics, 389 in reading, and 393 in science.
* Argentina's scores declined by 11, 12, and 13 points respectively from 2022 in mathematics, reading, and science.
* Only 24% of Argentine students reached level 2 in mathematics.
* Uruguay achieved 444.5 in science, 423.2 in reading, and 404.9 in mathematics.
* Chile scored 436 in reading and 403 in mathematics.
* Brazil's scores were 408 in reading, 377 in mathematics, and 409 in science.
* Mexico scored 388 in mathematics and 408 in reading.
* The OECD noted declines in Colombia and Costa Rica are linked to secondary enrollment expansion and integration of marginalized populations.
* The United States scored 490 in reading, 14 points lower than 2022.
Executive Summary
The PISA 2025 assessment involved 13 Latin American countries, with results indicating scores below the OECD averages in reading, mathematics, and science. The overall assessment included computational problem-solving as an additional domain. OECD averages for the three core subjects were 461 in reading, 463 in mathematics, and 482 in science, marking the lowest figures since the test's inception.
Argentina experienced its worst performance since participation began, scoring 367 in mathematics, 389 in reading, and 393 in science, representing declines from 2022 scores across all subjects. Only 24% of Argentine students achieved level 2 in mathematics, compared to 65% across the OECD. Regionally, Argentina lagged behind Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Peru.
Uruguay demonstrated the strongest regional performance, achieving 444.5 in science, 423.2 in reading, and 404.9 in mathematics, showing stable results in mathematics despite leading in science and mathematics regionally. Chile experienced declines, scoring 436 in reading and 403 in mathematics, with the proportion of students below the basic threshold rising significantly between 2015 and 2025. Brazil's scores remained largely unchanged from 2022.
The OECD noted that declines in mathematics and reading in Colombia and Costa Rica are linked to the integration of previously marginalized populations into the education system, noting that dropout rates influence results for students who are currently in school. The United States recorded 490 in reading, 14 points lower than in 2022, and a record low in mathematics.
Full Take
The persistent underperformance across the region suggests a structural issue that transcends localized educational policies, pointing toward entrenched societal inequalities rather than mere academic deficits. The stark contrast between regional performers like Uruguay and those experiencing significant setbacks, such as Argentina's performance relative to its own history, highlights how systemic factors—such as historical exclusion or unequal resource distribution—filter into measurable cognitive outcomes.
The analysis of the disparity in educational quality within Latin America, particularly when juxtaposed with elite-driven dynamics, suggests that educational metrics often serve to reinforce existing hierarchies rather than promote meritocratic mobility. The commentary regarding private versus state school quality hints at a deeper tension: if access and quality are mediated by socio-economic status or political influence, then standardized testing risks becoming an instrument of validating existing stratification instead of diagnosing learning gaps.
The context provided for Colombia and Costa Rica introduces the variable of social inclusion—the integration of marginalized groups—as a direct driver of educational outcomes. This challenges the assumption that educational struggles are purely cognitive; they are deeply entangled with social realities, institutional responsiveness to diverse populations, and historical power dynamics. The trajectory suggests that addressing these performance gaps requires examining not just pedagogical methods, but the underlying socio-political structures that determine who has access to quality schooling and how those systems are governed by elite interests.
What factors beyond curriculum or teaching methods shape outcomes when systemic inequality is known to be present? How does the measurement system itself inadvertently codify existing social stratification? What responsibility do governing bodies bear in mitigating performance gaps created by entrenched inequalities?
Sentinel — Human
The core factual reporting appears grounded and structured like standard journalistic data presentation, but the appended commentary is distinctly human-generated analysis.