Reults from PISA 2022

Mathematical literacy

PISA 2022 results showed a decline in mathematical literacy among Finnish students. Finnish students scored 484 points on average, down by 64 points from the peak year of 2006 (548 points). Finland, however, remained well above the OECD average (472 points).

There were more poor performers in mathematics and fewer top performers among Finnish students in PISA 2022. One in four students performed at the lowest level (below Level 2) in mathematics. 

It was exceptional in how many countries learning outcomes deteriorated. Across comparable countries, the mean point score in mathematical literacy fell in altogether 41 countries or economies, of which 35 were OECD countries. 

Reading literacy

Finnish students continued to outperform (490 points) the OECD average (476 points) in reading literacy. However, Finland’s average score dropped markedly, down by 30 points, from the previous assessment in 2018 where reading literacy was the main domain of assessment. As in mathematical literacy, performance in reading literacy declined in most participating countries. 

Scientific literacy

The average score of Finnish students in scientific literacy also remained above the OECD average at 511 points. As in Finland, young people's scientific literacy has declined throughout the OECD countries from the top performances of 2006 and 2009. However, the decline has been steeper in Finland than in the OECD on average.

Creative thinking

OECD PISA 2022 also assessed young people's capacity to engage in creative thinking. Altogether 64 countries participated in the Creative Thinking assessment. The results for this content category were published on 18 June 2024.

In Finland, 15-year-olds achieved high scores in the Creative Thinking assessment, outperforming the OECD average. Nearly half of the girls excelled in creative thinking, while the boys' performance was closer to the OECD average.  

• Publication in Finnish (summary in English)

Unprecedented round of PISA

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the PISA tests to be postponed by a year. As a result, students who took part in the survey were affected by the pandemic throughout their lower secondary education, at least indirectly if not otherwise. 

For the first time, many countries also struggled to meet the PISA standards for sampling or response rate. Either their school-level or their student-level response rate failed to meet the standards set for PISA assessments. The results from these countries should therefore be treated with a certain degree of circumspection.

In Finland, PISA 2022 was carried out by the Consortium of the Finnish Institute for Educational Research at the University of Jyväskylä and the Centre for Educational Assessment at the University of Helsinki.

Altogether 81 countries and economies participated in the 2022 survey.