PISA Examination Results Call for Education Reform

The recent release of the 2022 edition of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has ignited a widespread debate among experts in the educational sector. Some, including President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, argue that this assessment should not be taken so seriously. Meanwhile, others consider that Mexico’s results reflect an educational crisis, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially reverting progress made over the past two decades.

PISA outcomes reflect an anticipated decline in academic performance, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating learning challenges, as indicated by a study estimating significant regional variations and learning loss equivalent to one school year in Mexico.

The postponement of this seventh edition of PISA, originally scheduled for 2021 but delayed to 2022 due to the pandemic, involved the participation of 690,000 students globally, including 6,288 Mexican students. The 2022 edition of PISA focused primarily on mathematics, with a higher number of questions related to this subject, with the purpose of deepening the understanding of how students approach numerical and logical challenges: both fundamental competencies in the workplace and daily life. 

In 2012, 55% of the evaluated students achieved a score below level 2 in mathematics. By 2022, this figure increased to 66%. Over 10 years, the rate of Mexican students who do not reach a basic level of mathematical proficiency increased by 11 percentage points. For all Mexican students, performance in mathematics worsened, although the decline in scores was more pronounced among students with higher performance.

While PISA results are influenced by socioeconomic conditions, having a socioeconomic advantage does not necessarily equate to better results in Mexico. Based on the OECD average, students from the highest income quartile outperform those from the lowest quartile by 94 points in the mathematics test. In Mexico, this difference is smaller (59 points). Students at the most socioeconomic disadvantage achieved an average score of 369 points, while those at the least reached an average of 428.

Deficiencies in mathematics are more noticeable among girls, as well. While 62% of male students do not reach the basic level of mathematical competence, 69% of girls are classified as low-performing. While OECD countries are increasingly closing the gender gap, Mexico is among the seven countries where there are fewer than eight girls for every 10 boys above the minimum level of competence in mathematics.

Despite the inherent slow pace of educational change, disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic have produced an immediate and noticeable impact, evidenced by the overall decrease in PISA 2022 scores compared to 2018, not only in Mexico but globally.

The 2022 edition reveals a decline in the average scores of OECD countries in mathematics, reading, and science compared to 2018, signaling shared challenges in educational performance. The results underscore the urgency of addressing educational inequalities and promoting collaboration across sectors. Some agree that PISA 2022 results should prompt a comprehensive and sustained discussion, offering an opportunity to rethink and revitalize educational policies. 

In the face of this situation, the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) made the following proposals:

1. Give greater importance to mathematics in the new curriculum. In the global context, mathematics will become crucial for students' development to promote social mobility. Mathematical learning could further deteriorate since the new curriculum implemented by the New Mexican School (NEM) does not prioritize mathematical learning. 
2. Increase and improve the distribution of educational resources. According to the OECD, to improve students' performance in mathematics, there is a need for greater educational investment by states but, above all, a better distribution of resources. Educational policies and allocated resources should seek a balance between performance-oriented approaches and strategies aimed at mitigating educational inequalities. Mexico does not allocate sufficient resources to education. While the Education 2030 Framework of UNESCO proposes that countries allocate at least 4% of their GDP to education, Mexico allocates only 2.96%.
3. Implement standardized assessments at the national level. Standardized assessments serve as a compass to guide educational policy. In a post-pandemic educational context, understanding the effects that the prolonged closure of schools had on students' learning is crucial for generating effective educational policy. To ensure the learning of students in Mexico, it will be crucial for authorities to conduct recurring standardized assessments specially designed to understand the national context.