​The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) together with the Ministry of Education of Romania has published the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022. Romania’s education system is at the bottom of the ranking in the European Union when it comes to mathematics, science and reading, is higher only than Bulgaria.

According to the results of the study, Romania is on a similar level with such countries as: Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Greece (an EU country located immediately after Romania, with average indicators of 430-441 points), Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Bulgaria, Moldova , writes EduPedu .ro.

At the OECD level, 16.4% of students scored below level 2 on average in all three areas, thus falling into functional illiteracy. However, in Romania their share is 33.2%.

28% of students do not listen to what the teacher says during the lesson

The same results indicate a low level of students’ attention to teachers during classes. 28% of students do not pay attention to their teachers, compared to the OECD average of 30%.

50% of Romanian school students say they feel at home at school (the OECD average is 75%), but 17% say they feel lonely at school. Compared to 2018, when the last PISA tests were published, nothing has changed in this regard, notes EduPedu.ro.

Another problem that students in Romania face is technology that distracts them from their studies. 35% say they are distracted by using digital devices (OECD average 30%), and 31% are distracted by their use of other colleagues (OECD average 25%).

Ligia Deca: “We need to increase the level of functional literacy”

After the presentation of the PISA 2022 results, the Minister of Education, Ligia Deka, also made a series of conclusions and decisions, acknowledging the fact that Romania is below the OECD average.

“It is necessary to increase the level of functional literacy. We have a significant proportion of students who do not possess the minimum skills necessary to successfully face the challenges of modern society. PISA 2022 results still place us below the OECD average,” Deka said, according to the source cited earlier.

Deka: we will periodically assess the level of functional literacy of students

Deka also drew attention to the fact that the new law on education, which entered into force in September, includes measures to improve the literacy level of students.

“The new law on pre-university education already provides for measures to teach these basic skills. For example, the level of functional literacy of students will be checked periodically using online tests corresponding to each level of learning. More than 29,000 teachers will be trained to improve their students’ functional literacy, and more than 58,000 students will benefit from relevant teaching and learning resources to improve their own functional literacy,” states Ligia Deca.

The best countries in mathematics

Countries with the best results in mathematics:

• Singapore – 575 points
• Macau (China) – 552 points
• Chinese Taipei (OECD name) – 547 points

The best countries to read

• Singapore: 543 points
• Ireland – 516 points
• Japan – 516 points

The best countries for science

• Singapore – 561 points
• Japan – 547 points
• Macau (China) – 543 points

In the EU, among the countries with the best results of the PISA 2022 tests are Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

The results were presented by the Ministry of Education

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the OECD, is a periodic international survey that aims to assess education systems around the world by testing the skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science.

The pandemic did not affect the Romanian education system, and students obtained results similar to those of five years ago.

“The average scores obtained by students in Romania in 2022 were the same as in 2018 in math, reading and science. Unlike many other countries, Romania did not register significant losses in student performance, which proves that we have a sustainable education system and that our country managed to reduce the impact of the pandemic,” the Ministry of Education said.

The average score obtained by Romanian students in 2022 is 428 in any of the areas studied – math, reading or science.

PISA 2022 results presented by the Ministry of Education:

• “In Romania, 51% of students achieved at least level 2 in mathematics. These students can interpret and recognize, without direct instruction, how a simple situation can be represented mathematically (for example, comparing the total distance of two alternative routes or converting prices to another currency).
• Approximately 58% of students in Romania have reached at least Level 2 in reading. These students can identify the main idea in a text of moderate length, find information based on clear, sometimes complex criteria, and reflect on the purpose of texts when explicitly asked to do so.
• Approximately 56% of students in Romania have achieved at least level 2 in science. These students can at least recognize the correct explanation of familiar scientific phenomena and can use such knowledge to determine in simple cases whether a conclusion is valid based on the data provided,” the Ministry of Education said.

The institute, led by Ligia Deka, says new education laws unveiled with great fanfare in July by President Klaus Iohannis will help improve students’ skills. These would be:

• “Standardization of National Assessments – The level of functional literacy of students will be periodically assessed through online tests appropriate for each level and each grade. These assessments will be conducted through the National Functional Literacy Platform against the Functional Literacy Standards and linked to the graduate profile.
• Special teacher training – The National Teacher Training Program will be created to improve the level of students’ functional literacy.
• Increasing the number of school scholarships and their size as a form of supporting the success of each class.
• The Remedial Learning Program supports students with learning difficulties or gaps through additional personalized teacher support that can be provided by pre-university education units in partnership with non-governmental organizations.
• A tax-free placement bonus equal to 5 national minimum gross wages, assuming a minimum period of 5 academic years, is provided to teaching staff assigned full-time status in schools located in disadvantaged areas.
• An increase in the standard value by 25% for primary beneficiaries from educational institutions, which are considered low-income,” the Ministry of Education reported.

The next testing cycle (2023-2025) will be PISA 2025, as 2025 is the year in which the main test will take place.

Romania’s participation in PISA 2022 was supported by the ROSE (PROJECT ROMANIA SECONDARY EDUCATION PROJECT) project, which is financed by a €200 million loan granted to the Romanian government by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.