Rabat – The findings of the 2022 PISA released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed a persistent decline in the academic performance of Moroccan students, particularly in mathematics, science, and reading comprehension.
The results showed that Moroccan students scored below the OECD average, indicating a deterioration compared to the 2018 assessment.
The national performance average in mathematics dropped from 368 to 365 points, while science scores decreased by 12 points to 365.
Reading comprehension suffered the most significant decline, plummeting by 20 points from 359 in 2018 to 339 in 2022.
Out of the 81 participating countries, Morocco’s rankings were notably low, securing the 71st position in mathematics, 79th in reading, and 76th in science.
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The PISA assessment, conducted every three years, aims to measure the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in key areas, including mathematical literacy, reading comprehension, and scientific literacy.
Morocco’s participation in the 2022 edition involved 6,867 students from 177 institutions, including middle and high schools, representing 12 regional academies.
According to SNRT News, the Ministry of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports emphasized that these results align with both national and international diagnostic assessments.
The ministry underlined the need for a responsible, transparent, and urgent approach to tackle the challenges within the public education system.
Despite the concerning findings, the ministry affirmed that ongoing education reforms, starting from primary education, are anticipated to yield positive outcomes in the next PISA assessments over the next three years.
