Bildungstest: „Desaströs“: Deutschland bei Pisa-Studie so schwach wie nie

Deutschland's 15-year-olds scored their lowest competency levels in reading, math, and science since the start of the Pisa education study, according to the latest results. Samuel Greiff, the study's leader, reported that one in three students lacked basic reading and math skills, while one in four had insufficient competency in science.

More than one-fifth of students failed to demonstrate adequate basic competence in any of the three subjects. Education Minister Karin Prien described the findings as "concerning," while Bavarian Kultusminister Anna Stolz termed it "desastrous but not surprising." Both emphasized that previous wake-up calls, such as policies from other education studies, would now be implemented, including school start-up programs and plans for early childhood education.

The goals include language testing in kindergartens, improved primary school instruction, and more resources for schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Germany's performance is worse than in 2000, the first year of the Pisa study, which sparked significant educational reforms. The study tested around 6,700 students from 250 schools in Germany, with about 760,000 students worldwide participating.

In 2025, German students scored an average of 486 points in science, 465 in reading, and 464 in math, compared to 492, 480, and 475 points in 2022. The downward trend in German performance is particularly evident in reading, where young people are more easily misled and lose interest in education. Experts note that the socio-economic gap between students has become more pronounced in Germany, with only two out of 100 socially disadvantaged students achieving high results, compared to 25 out of 100 privileged students.

Factors contributing to the decline in educational success include changing parenting styles, increased digitalization, and the impact of social media on academic performance.