Nayib Bukele reports high PISA scores in El Salvador education pilot

President Nayib Bukele has addressed the results of a PISA for Schools assessment conducted as part of an educational modernization pilot program in El Salvador. The evaluation involved 1,198 students from 171 public schools, showing performance in reading, mathematics, and science comparable to average scores in Germany and Sweden.

Bukele clarified that these results do not represent the entire national education system, as the 171 schools were not a statistically representative sample. Instead, they were selected based on having the necessary infrastructure, connectivity, and community readiness to participate in the pilot. He noted that the selection was not based on the students having exceptional academic performance.

The pilot program included various interventions such as AI tutors, learning platforms, teacher support, improved connectivity, and methodological changes. While the results are significant, Bukele stated that they do not prove AI alone caused the improvement, noting that a different experimental design would be needed to isolate the specific impact of artificial intelligence. One recorded outcome was an increase in teacher attendance from 76% to 97% in participating centers. The government now plans a nationwide rollout to determine if these results can be replicated across the broader public education system.