Australia’s 15-year-old students record their lowest-ever results in international testing for maths and reading, according to multiple Australian outlets. Reported measures show a rise in “low performers”, with almost a quarter of students falling into the lowest mathematics category and 29 per cent in reading.
Outlets describe the rankings as the worst performance since international assessments began, with one report saying maths and reading hit levels not seen in about 25 years. The same coverage notes that science results do not decline in the same way, with reporting indicating science scores stagnate or improve. The emphasis varies by outlet: some foreground the share of students classified as low performers, while others highlight the overall ranking and the length of time since the last comparable low point.
Overall, the accounts converge on a broad picture of weaker literacy and numeracy outcomes, alongside relatively steadier science performance, based on the latest round of international student assessments.
