'HK students very strong in digital learning'

Hong Kong students demonstrated exceptional performance in digital learning, according to a University of Hong Kong-led analysis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025. Conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the assessment surveyed 6,445 15-year-olds from 230 schools in Hong Kong.

The report revealed that Hong Kong students outperformed their international counterparts in the innovative domain of Learning in the Digital World, scoring 545 compared to the international average of 500.

In the three core domains of mathematical, scientific, and mother-tongue reading literacy, Hong Kong students also excelled. They scored 522 in mathematical literacy, surpassing the international average of 463; 496 in scientific literacy, outperforming the 482 international average; and 480 in mother-tongue reading literacy, exceeding the 461 international average. However, these scores were lower than in the previous assessment in 2022.

The decline in overall performance, as reported by the OECD, may be attributed to the impact of Covid-19 on students during their critical developmental period. Other factors, including Hong Kong's approach to PISA as an academic research project, students' psychological state and concentration during the test, test administration arrangements, and students' habits and attitudes towards using digital devices after school, may also have influenced their performance.

Frederick Leung, Emeritus Professor from the University of Hong Kong and the project leader of PISA 2025, noted that the decline is not unique to Hong Kong, and that AI will be a focus for future assessments.