Australian students’ reading and maths results plunge in global rankings
Australian students have recorded their lowest-ever scores in reading and mathematics, with a significant portion of students now classified as low performers. Experts attribute these declines to global factors such as increased digital distractions and reduced reading for enjoyment.
Why it matters
The findings underscore a growing concern among policymakers regarding the impact of digital technology and AI on student engagement and foundational literacy.
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Share A A A Australian high school students have recorded their worst maths and reading results in international tests, and 15-year-olds are now two and a half years behind teenagers who went to school at the turn of the millennium.
Programme for International Assessment (PISA) results show nearly a quarter of all NSW students are now classified as “low performers” in maths while that figure rises to 29 per cent in reading. Science results have flatlined.
The declines in reading and mathematics results reflect a broader global trend as policymakers grapple with the rise of AI chatbots, fewer students engaging in sustained reading and the rise of digital distractions in the classroom.
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