The OECD PISA results (Programme for International Student Assessment) in 2012 have been published. PISA 2012 is the programme’s 5th survey and assesses the competencies of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science (with a focus on mathematics) in 65 countries and economies.

Around 510 000 students between the ages of 15 years 3 months and 16 years 2 months participated in the assessment, representing about 28 million 15-year-olds globally. The students took a paper-based test that lasted 2 hours.

The 2012 results show that Ireland’s 15-year-olds are among the best OECD countries in reading and are performing significantly above the OECD average in mathematics and science. According to the Department of Education, these results show significant improvements in all areas when compared to the last PISA results in 2009.
In science Ireland is now ranked 9th out of 34 OECD countries; up five places since 2009. Ireland is 4th out of 34 countries for reading and 13th of the 34 OECD countries for mathematics.

A comparative snapshot in mathematics, reading and science in the participating countries can be viewed here

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