PISA 2025 study: Over 10,000 students involved in international assessment

The international assessment of students PISA 2025 has begun in our country, involving thousands of students, teachers and parents in the largest exercise to measure educational skills. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), initiated by the OECD, tests every three years the ability of 15-year-old students to apply the knowledge they have acquired in real life, in three essential areas: reading, mathematics and science. The aim is not to provide grades, but to understand how well students are prepared for the challenges of modern society.

• Who is participating in Romania?

Between May 12 and June 9, 2025, 10,362 students from 321 educational institutions (including middle schools, high schools and vocational schools), from urban and rural areas, participate in this assessment. Of these, 1,477 learn in Hungarian, being part of a representative sample. In addition to students, the study involves 2,015 teachers, of whom 1,430 teach science subjects and 585 teach English.

• News in the 2025 edition

PISA 2025 brings two important firsts for Romania: The assessment of English language skills (Foreign Language Assessment - FLA), with the participation of 2,149 students; The administration of additional questionnaires for teachers (science and English) and parents, intended to provide a broader picture of the educational context. All assessments are conducted digitally, with the exception of the paper-based parent questionnaire.

The assessment lasts approximately four hours: 15 minutes: general introduction; 120-130 minutes: cognitive test (two sessions); 15 minutes: break; 45-50 minutes: completion of student and ICT questionnaires. The assessment is conducted on a single day or on consecutive days, depending on the organization of each participating school.

• What happens to the data collected?

Responses are collected and uploaded directly to the PISA digital platform, and those of parents are entered by designated staff. Confidentiality is guaranteed, with no student or school being identified in the final reports. Students receive a personalized diploma for participation.

Representatives of the Ministry of Education emphasize that participation in PISA has a dual role:

It provides essential data on the level of students' key skills; It supports the formulation of effective educational policies, based on concrete data. "Romania's participation in the PISA 2025 study (...) contributes to the correlation of Romanian education with the developments of high-performing education systems at the international level", the official press release states.

The results of the PISA 2025 study will help to understand the degree of preparation of students for life, whether it is to continue their studies, integrate into the labor market or actively engage in society. Through this approach, Romania is taking an important step towards a modern, inclusive and relevant education.