Pisa 2022 Report: Swedish 15-Year-Olds Falling Behind in Mathematics and Reading Comprehension
The latest Pisa 2022 report has revealed concerning results for Swedish 15-year-olds, with a decline in mathematics and reading comprehension skills. According to the report, Sweden’s students have fallen back to the 2012 level in these areas, a sharp contrast to the shock felt back then.
While the results in science have remained stagnant at the 2018 level, only a handful of countries have managed to improve their performance. The report, presented today, highlights the concerning trend in the education system.
Despite the decline, Swedish students are still performing above the OECD average, as emphasized by Peter Fredriksson, Director General of the Swedish National Agency for Education. “Sweden performs better in mathematics than the OECD average,” Fredriksson stated, adding that Sweden falls in the middle of the starting field in the international rankings.
One notable observation is the comparison with Finland, a country known for its high rankings in academic performance. Surprisingly, Finland is now on the same level as Sweden, challenging the usual assumptions about their educational excellence.
The impact of the pandemic on education is also noted in the report, with the Swedish National Agency for Education attributing the decline in results to the disruptions caused by distance learning and increased absences. This trend is also observed in several other international measurements, signaling a wider issue affecting education systems globally.
As the report sheds light on the challenges faced by the Swedish education system, there is a growing focus on addressing the underlying factors contributing to the decline in student performance. With the hope of reversing this trend, education stakeholders are exploring strategies to support students and mitigate the impact of ongoing disruptions.