Universidad Austral study reports decline in Argentine student cognitive performance

A study by Universidad Austral has identified a significant decline in the cognitive performance of Argentine students over the last decade. Research conducted on 849 students aged 8 to 15 revealed that between 2013 and 2023, verbal performance dropped by 8.4%. Additionally, the average total intelligence quotient (IQ) for students of the same age decreased by 3.6 points during this period.

The report, produced by the Observatorio del Desarrollo Humano y la Vulnerabilidad and the School of Education, highlights a substantial gap between public and private school students, noting a 26.8-point difference in total IQ in 2023. While non-verbal skills remained relatively stable, the decline in verbal abilities is a primary concern.

These findings align with international trends showing a deceleration or reversal of intellectual performance gains. The study contextualizes these results with PISA and Aprender 2025 data, which indicate that a large majority of Argentine students fail to meet minimum standards in mathematics and reading. The researchers noted that the deterioration involves cognitive, educational, social, and environmental factors.