New Zealand’s PISA Scores Stabilise Above OECD Averages, With Data Caveat

New Zealand’s 15-year-olds recorded PISA 2025 scores broadly unchanged from 2022 and above OECD averages in mathematics, reading and science. The OECD country note says 81% reached at least baseline proficiency in science, 77% in reading and 71% in mathematics, compared with OECD averages of 74%, 69% and 65%. The share of students reporting extra effort when work became challenging rose 6.9 percentage points. However, response rates did not meet PISA technical standards, and the OECD estimates nonresponse may have lifted mean scores by about 10 to 15 points, while saying trend comparisons with 2022 are unlikely to be affected.