New Zealand PISA 2025 Results Show Stable Performance with Gains in Digital Skills

The 2025 PISA results show New Zealand students’ achievement stabilizing after previous declines, with rankings above the OECD average in reading, science, and mathematics, and notable strengths in computational problem-solving. Positive trends include a narrowed achievement gap, increased student effort, and greater appreciation of school relevance, though participation rates were low, potentially skewing results. Education Minister Erica Stanford emphasizes the importance of international assessments and data-driven improvements, supported by new legislation mandating school participation to better inform education policy.