VIDEO // PISA 2025 results show progress in science, stagnation in mathematics and reading, with wide gaps between urban and rural schools

The Republic of Moldova made progress in science in the 2025 PISA assessment, achieving its best result to date in this field. However, the data continue to highlight significant differences between students in urban and rural areas, according to the results presented today by the National Agency for Curriculum and Evaluation (ANCE).

According to the international results, Moldovan students scored an average of 422 points in science, five points higher than in 2022. At the same time, results in the other two assessed areas declined slightly. In mathematics, the average score was 410 points, four points lower than in 2022, while in reading it was 404 points, down by seven points.



The director of the National Agency for Curriculum and Evaluation, Lilia Ivanov, said that the results should be viewed both through the lens of the progress recorded in science and in the context of international developments.


“Science is the only area in which we made progress in 2025, achieving our best result to date,” said Lilia Ivanov.


She noted that the decline recorded in mathematics and reading may also be associated with the delayed effects of the pandemic on students.


“Although we recorded a slight decline in mathematics and reading, also influenced by the delayed effects of the pandemic on young people’s ability to concentrate, we have moved significantly closer to the OECD average,” explained the ANCE director.


According to her, one of the reasons Moldova has moved closer to the OECD average is that, internationally, the decline in student performance was more pronounced than in the Republic of Moldova.

The PISA 2025 report also highlights performance differences based on gender, socioeconomic status and place of residence.

Girls achieved better results than boys in all three assessed areas, with the largest difference recorded in reading—38 points.

Another determining factor remains the socioeconomic status of the family. Students from socioeconomically advantaged families scored an average of 85 points higher in science than students from disadvantaged families.

According to the data presented, this difference is equivalent to approximately three years of schooling, showing how strongly socioeconomic conditions influence educational outcomes.

However, the most serious issue highlighted by the PISA 2025 results concerns the differences between educational institutions in urban areas and those in rural areas.

The gap between students from cities and those from villages ranges from 55 to 65 points, depending on the assessed area.

Lilia Ivanov argues that these differences can no longer be viewed merely as a statistical issue, but represent a problem of equity and quality within the education system.


“The data show us a harsh reality: a child in a small rural institution does not reach the minimum proficiency level in any of the three tested areas, while students in large urban institutions reach this level in all subjects,” said the ANCE director.


In her view, the results also provide an argument for reorganizing the school network.


“This demonstrates that reorganizing and consolidating the school network is not merely a budget-efficiency measure, but an absolute necessity to ensure the quality and equity of education,” Ivanov stated.


She emphasized that differences in educational opportunities have a direct impact on children from small communities.


“A child in a small institution is paying an educational price that can be measured today,” added Lilia Ivanov.


PISA does not only assess how much subject matter students have memorized; it measures their ability to apply what they have learned in real-life situations. The assessment is conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and targets 15-year-old students. Depending on the edition, the assessment focuses on one of the main areas—mathematics, reading or science—while also analyzing the other competencies.

The Republic of Moldova has participated in PISA since 2009, and the results are used as an indicator for assessing the performance of the education system and for shaping public policies.