OECD’s PISA 2025 results place Danish 15-year-olds at their lowest measured level in reading, mathematics and science, triggering emergency meetings across the Danish political system.
According to reporting by DR, the Ministry of Education held a crisis meeting on Tuesday after the figures were published. A press conference with the prime minister is scheduled for Thursday, and Kommunernes Landsforening has called an urgent meeting for Monday.
In a press release, the Ministry of Education stated that Danish pupils scored 460 in reading, 471 in mathematics and 478 in science. The ministry described the level as lower than at any previous measurement.
DR reports that reading skills have deteriorated sharply since the last PISA measurement in 2022. The same downward trend appears in 43 of the 90 countries taking part in the study.
Faster reading, less depth
Andreas Schleicher is director for education and skills at the OECD and the man behind the PISA studies. As reported by DR, he calls the results concerning and describes reading as the foundation for all other skills.
Per Schleicher, pupils are not unable to read, and they actually read faster than before. But they read more superficially and less precisely, and show less curiosity and engagement.
He points to weaker performance in skills he considers particularly important, such as comparing different pieces of information and reflecting on them. Handling more complex situations has also become harder for pupils, according to Schleicher.
Another pattern he describes is that pupils no longer read for pleasure. Reading has become a way to collect information, which can also be obtained in condensed form from ChatGPT.
Many pupils also report that they can no longer concentrate during lessons because of their own smartphone or other pupils’ use of them. Schleicher says this should be a source of concern.
Message to Danish parents
Beyond smartphones and AI, Schleicher points to a weakening of ambitions in the Danish education system. He says pupils can receive good grades without performing particularly well, and that tasks are made easier rather than support being increased. He warns that this produces mediocre results.
In the PISA study, many young Europeans say their parents are less interested in what they do at school and how well they perform. Schleicher calls this serious, and says parental interest matters more for learning outcomes than parental income level.
According to Schleicher, something has changed in Denmark since the 2022 study, because children now perceive their parents’ interest differently. His message to Danish parents, which he calls very simple but extremely important, is not about doing homework for hours. It is about showing genuine interest in their children’s questions and backing the authority of the school and teachers.
The debate follows earlier changes to assessment in Danish schools, including the decision to add mandatory school tests, and continuing concerns about the teacher shortage in parts of the country.
