The Aporia · Singapore and mainland China top global student assessment as OECD scores hit record low

Singapore and mainland China have topped a global student assessment, known as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which included over 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries. The assessment saw record low scores overall, with Singapore posting strong results in mathematics and science, but still trailing behind mainland China's top marks. Mainland Chinese students outperformed OECD averages in both math and science, achieving 612 points in math and 597 points in science. This edition of the PISA survey was the largest since its introduction in 2000.

Written by the local model on 2026-09-11, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

Singapore and mainland China have topped a global student assessment, which was conducted by the OECD as part of its 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment. The assessment involved 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economies, including members and partners of the OECD. This is the largest number of participants since the OECD first administered the test in 2000. In mathematics, mainland China led with an average score of 612 points, while Singapore scored 563 points. In science, mainland China again topped the list with an average score of 597 points, followed closely by Singapore at 560 points. These scores are significantly higher than the OECD's average scores of 463 and 482 points in mathematics and science, respectively. The assessment also introduced a new computational problem-solving module to prepare students for the AI era.

Written for “Global Education Rankings Decline” on 2026-09-12, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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No political leaning scored for article 7760 · logged 2026-09-11

📰 Global Education Rankings Decline

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Canadian students reading and math scores decline in OECD’s global assessment different event · 80%

The Globe and Mail

⚖️ Leans left 🔴 6% hedged 2 of 36 📰 publisher trust 40

“The articles report on different years of OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), one in 2025 and the other likely in 2026, given the date of publication”

South China Morning Post · 207 article(s) · 0 correction(s) detected

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Carol Yang

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China OECD Singapore The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment

OECD ORG · 4× China GPE · 3× Singapore GPE · 1× The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment ORG · 1×

Singapore and mainland China top global student assessment as OECD scores hit record low Latest survey of 15-year-old students across 91 countries and economies included new computational problem-solving module for AI era

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-11

2026-09-11 · South China Morning Post

Singapore and mainland China top global student assessment as OECD scores hit record low · assertive framing

Singapore and mainland China top global student assessment as OECD scores hit record low Latest survey of 15-year-old students across 91 countries and economies included new computational problem-solving module for AI era asserted

survey → top → AI

The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment comprised 760,000 15-year-old students across 91 countries and economies, including OECD members and partners. asserted

Programme → comprise → members

This edition of the survey was the largest since the OECD first administered the triennial assessment in 2000. asserted

OECD → administer → 2000

The city state also posted strong results in mathematics and science with 563 and 560 points, respectively – second only to China. asserted

state → post → China

Students from mainland China led globally in maths with 612 points and science with 597 points, vastly outperforming the OECD averages of 463 and 482 points, respectively. asserted

Students → lead → points

Singapore and mainland China top global student assessment as OECD scores hit record low

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