PISA 2025 highlights Singapore students’ academic strength and real-world computational problem-solving skills.
Singapore’s 15-year-olds ranked among the top performers in PISA 2025, excelling in reading, mathematics and science as well as newly assessed computational problem-solving skills.
Singapore Leads Reading Rankings
Singapore ranked first in reading and second in mathematics and science among participating education systems in the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA 2025. The OECD assessment involved 6,551 Singapore students aged 15 across 157 public and private schools, with a record 91 countries and economies participating. China ranked first in mathematics and science, while Singapore ranked first in reading.
Students Excel in Computational Problem Solving
Singapore also ranked second in Computational Problem Solving, part of PISA’s newly assessed Learning in the Digital World domain, which examines how students use computational tools and practices to solve real-world problems. More than half of Singapore students were classified as top performers in this area, compared with about one-quarter across OECD countries. Macau ranked first in the new domain.
Academic All-Rounders Lead Globally
Singapore recorded the highest proportion of academic all-rounders among all participating education systems, with 15 percent of students achieving top-performing levels in reading, mathematics, and science, compared with an OECD average of just 3 percent. The country also continued to have one of the highest shares of top performers and one of the lowest proportions of low performers across the three core subjects.
Achievement Gap Remains a Concern
Despite the strong overall results, the Ministry of Education noted that the performance gap between Singapore students in the top and bottom 10 percent widened across reading, mathematics and science from 2022 to 2025. Separately, students in the top quarter by socioeconomic background outperformed those in the bottom quarter by the equivalent of more than four years of learning in science. MOE said it would continue providing additional manpower and resources to schools and support academically weaker students and those from vulnerable backgrounds through initiatives such as ComLink+.
Digital Skills and Environmental Awareness Stand Out
The study also found strong digital and environmental engagement among Singapore students. Seventy-eight percent said they compare different sources when searching online, above the OECD average of 64 percent. Singapore also ranked second among participating systems in PISA’s new Environmental Science module, with 27 percent reaching proficiency levels 5 and 6, compared with an OECD average of 7 percent. MOE said it would continue building these capabilities through initiatives including the EdTech Masterplan 2030 and the Eco Stewardship Programme.
Singapore’s PISA 2025 performance shows that its education system continues to deliver strong academic outcomes while increasingly preparing students for technology-driven and real-world challenges. The widening achievement gap, however, highlights the importance of ensuring that high national averages translate into opportunities for students from different backgrounds. For Indonesians, Singapore’s results offer a nearby reference point for education reform and digital skills development, while Singaporeans face the challenge of preserving global competitiveness without leaving weaker students behind.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , MOE GOV SG (2026)
Keywords: Singapore PISA 2025, Singapore Student Rankings, Computational Problem Solving, Singapore Education System, OECD Education Study, Singapore Reading Performance
