Filipino students made their biggest gains yet in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), improving their performance in reading, mathematics and science, but the majority still failed to reach the international assessment’s baseline proficiency level.

The Philippines posted mean scores of 367 in reading, 371 in mathematics and 373 in science in the 2025 PISA, gaining 20 points in reading, 16 points in mathematics and 17 points in science from its 2022 results, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“This is a significant achievement for our learners and for the entire Philippine education system. But more than the numbers, we are seeing evidence that our learners are capable of making real and meaningful progress,” said Education Secretary Sonny Angara during the national launch at Caloocan City Science High School.

The improvement was also reflected in the proportion of students reaching Level 2 or higher, which PISA uses as a baseline proficiency level.

In reading, the share rose from 24% in 2022 to 31% in 2025. In mathematics, it increased from 16% to 21%, while in science it climbed from 23% to 32%.

Despite the gains, this means that 69% of Filipino students remained below Level 2 in reading, 79% in mathematics and 68% in science.

Fastest improvement in reading

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which administers PISA, identified the Philippines as the fastest-improving country in reading in its 10-year trend analysis, DepEd said.

The OECD also included the Philippines among countries with notable improvement in mathematics.

In science, the country recorded a positive long-term trend despite an overall decline in science performance globally, according to DepEd.

Based on its mean scores, the Philippines ranked ahead of 14 participating countries in science, 16 in mathematics and 18 in reading.

The latest results mark a significant improvement from the country’s earlier PISA performance.

The Philippines first joined PISA in 2018 and remained among the lowest-performing participants in the 2022 assessment. In that cycle, only 16% of Filipino students reached at least Level 2 in mathematics, 24% in reading and 23% in science.

OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher congratulated Filipino teachers and school leaders for the latest results.

“What you have achieved in this latest round of OECD’s PISA assessment is not just good news for the Philippines, it's a story that deserves to be noticed far beyond your borders,” Schleicher said.

More work ahead

Angara said the improved scores should not lead the education sector to ease up on efforts to raise student achievement.

“We should be proud of how far our learners and teachers have come, but we should be even more determined about how much farther we can go,” he said.

DepEd said it would prioritize addressing inequities while sustaining reforms intended to improve learning outcomes and support teachers and schools.

The department also cited school readiness, parental involvement, local governments and private-sector partners as factors highlighted during the presentation of the Philippine results.

It said it would continue working with education partners on the responsible use of digital technology and on problems such as cyberbullying and its effects on learning.