Philippines Posts Best PISA Scores Ever as Student Performance Surges Across All Subjects

MANILA, Philippines — September 10, 2026

The Philippines has recorded its strongest-ever performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), with Filipino students achieving their highest scores in reading, mathematics and science since the country first participated in the international exam in 2018.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced the results Tuesday at a national launch event at Caloocan City Science High School, where he presented the 2025 PISA findings. The country ranked 19th from the bottom in reading, 17th in mathematics, and 15th in science out of 81 participating education systems—surpassing 18 countries in reading, 16 in mathematics, and 14 in science.

This performance represents a marked turnaround from the 2022 PISA results, when the Philippines ranked sixth from the bottom in both reading and mathematics, and third from the bottom in science. In 2018, the country had placed last among 79 participating nations.

Concrete Gains in Proficiency

Beyond mean scores, the 2025 assessment showed a larger share of Filipino learners reaching Level 2 or higher—the baseline proficiency level set by PISA. In science, the proportion rose from 23 percent to 32 percent. In mathematics, it increased from 16 percent to 21 percent. In reading, the proportion climbed from 24 percent to 31 percent.

The assessment, conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), tested more than 760,000 students aged 15 across partner countries and economies. In the Philippines, 8,072 students from 208 schools participated in the 2025 PISA.

"This is a significant achievement for our learners and for the entire Philippine education system," Angara said. "But more than the numbers, we are seeing evidence that our learners are capable of making real and meaningful progress."

Angara noted that the gains reflect the Marcos administration's focus on improving foundational skills. "The direction of the President galvanised us to help the students, help the teachers," he said. "Let's focus on the basics—reading, writing, arithmetic. This course reflects improving the basics and remediation."

OECD Director Praises Progress

Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, congratulated Filipino teachers and school leaders for the results. In a separate video message, he said: "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 emphasized the significance of the reading gains. "Since PISA assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in 2022, no country has improved its reading skills faster than the Philippines," he said.

Reforms Behind the Improvement

The gains come after a series of education reforms and remediation measures launched following the poor 2022 PISA results. The Department of Education (DepEd) worked to ease teachers' administrative workloads, improve the curriculum, and ensure students were better prepared for the test environment.

In 2022, many Filipino students had never used computers during an exam before PISA. DepEd organized familiarization sessions on computer literacy, quantitative skills, and critical thinking to address this gap. The agency also provided maintenance and augmentation funds to schools with logistical gaps in testing centers, laptops, and internet access.

DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma highlighted the whole-of-society approach that supported the 2025 preparation. "One of the significant values added for the 2025 preparation is that everyone helped," Garma said. "We recognize our partners, the private sector, up to the barangay level—even the parents of PISA takers."

Persistent Challenges Remain

While the academic gains are notable, the PISA results also revealed ongoing concerns about school climate. The proportion of Filipino students reporting that other students made fun of them rose from 22 percent in 2022 to 33 percent in 2025. Reports of rumors spreading among students increased from 15 percent to 19 percent. Physical bullying declined marginally from 16 percent to 15 percent, while threats between students remained unchanged at 19 percent.

Reform Momentum

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) issued a statement welcoming the results, saying the country's educational reforms were "on the right track" and "gaining momentum."

"This progress belongs to the entire country," the commission said. "Over the past three years, teachers, parents, civil society organizations, volunteers, legislators, local government units, and communities have come together to confront the learning crisis and support every Filipino child."

DepEd has expressed optimism about sustaining these gains, citing ongoing appeals for funding to support critical programs such as remediation under the ARAL (Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning) program and school safety initiatives.

Source: Philippine News Agency, September 8, 2026. Asia News Network, September 11, 2026. GMA News Online, September 9, 2026.