Athens takes on electric scooters: 3,700 violations and a new round of police raids

Almost Every second 15-year-old schoolchild in Greece does not reach the minimum level of mathematical literacynecessary for solving simple everyday problems.

This follows from the published results of an international study PISA 2025 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Greece remains below the OECD average in three main areas – mathematics, reading and science.

49.5% do not achieve basic level in mathematics

According to the Greek Ministry of Education, the proportion of students who complete compulsory education without achieving the minimum functional level is:

• 49.5% — mathematics;
• 43.8% – understanding the text;
• 40.9% – natural sciences.

This does not mean that half of children “can’t count.”

PISA Level 2 is the ability to independently understand a simple practical problem and apply basic knowledge to it.

For example, compare the length of two routes, recalculate the cost of a product in another currency, or understand the main idea of ​​a medium-length text.

Greece vs. OECD average

The minimum level in mathematics was reached at about 50% Greek students. The OECD average is 65%.

By reading:

• Greece – 56%;
• OECD – 69%.

For natural sciences:

• Greece – 59%;
• OECD – 74%.

The gap is even more noticeable among the strongest students.

Only about 2% Greek schoolchildren versus 8% on average OECD.

In science and reading, the top 1% is around 1%.

There is also a small positive signal

The Ministry of Education emphasizes that the situation cannot be described only as another failure.

From 2022 to 2025, Greek students’ math scores dropped by 6 points, while the average decline in the OECD sample group was about 11 points.

That is, Greece is still far behind, but the gap in mathematics has begun to narrow slightly for the first time in a long time.

Education Minister Sophia Zacharaki called it the start of a trend toward convergence, while acknowledging the need to change curricula.

The problem gets deeper in the long run

The OECD draws attention to another alarming indicator.

Compared to 2015, the proportion of weak students in Greece has increased:

• by 14 percentage points in mathematics;
• by 17 points in reading;
• by 8 points in natural sciences.

Thus, today’s problem did not arise in one academic year.

Don’t memorize, but understand

Zaharaki, in an interview with ERTnews, admitted that to change the situation it is necessary to change training programs and focus more on achieving a specific educational result, rather than on rote memorization of material.

It is this difference that is often considered one of the weak points of the traditional Greek school: a student can reproduce educational material, but experience difficulties when the knowledge needs to be applied to an unusual practical task.

For families raising children in Greece, the results are also important because they make it possible to distinguish between grades on a school report card and the child’s actual ability to understand and apply the material.

Source link