Türkiye shows significant rise in PISA 2025 education rankings

Türkiye has reported significant improvements in the 2025 PISA results, showing score increases across science, mathematics, and reading skills. In science, the country rose to 19th place among 91 nations, while reading climbed to 18th and mathematics to 28th. Notably, Türkiye's scores in science and reading have surpassed the OECD average.

National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin attributed this progress to structural reforms, including curriculum changes via the ‘Türkiye Century Maarif Model’, improvements in teacher training, and enhanced physical and technological infrastructure. He also highlighted the reduction of external influence from private tutoring centers. The Ministry aims to reach the top five in PISA rankings by 2029 by reducing exam-oriented pressure and decreasing the number of high schools that admit students solely through entrance exams.

However, some academics have raised concerns regarding the transparency of the results. Critics have questioned the selection criteria for participating schools and students, suggesting that the Ministry of National Education may have prepared specific students for the digital exam. They also noted a discrepancy between high PISA performance and lower average scores in national university entrance exams.