Rwanda’s first Programme for Worldwide Scholar Evaluation (PISA) outcomes present imply scores of 317 in science, 312 in studying and 301 in arithmetic.
However these figures aren’t examination marks or percentages. PISA makes use of a scoring scale that takes into consideration the problem of the questions college students reply, relatively than merely counting what number of questions they get proper.
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Organised by the Organisation for Financial Co-operation and Growth (OECD), PISA assesses how effectively 15-year-olds can apply what they’ve learnt to unfamiliar and difficult conditions.
How the scores are calculated
PISA stories outcomes utilizing imply scores and proficiency ranges. The imply rating reveals the common place of scholars on the PISA scale, whereas proficiency ranges describe what college students at totally different factors on the dimensions are capable of do.
The problem of questions is a vital a part of the scoring course of. College students don’t all reply precisely the identical questions. Totally different variations of the evaluation comprise some widespread questions, permitting responses to be positioned on a typical scale.
The questions are analysed in response to their issue, and college students are positioned on the dimensions based mostly on the extent of questions they’re able to reply. Because of this, the variety of appropriate solutions alone doesn’t decide a pupil’s PISA rating.
On the launch of Rwanda’s 2025 leads to Kigali on September 8, officers used two hypothetical college students, Aline and Bosco, for example how the system works.
Aline may reply eight questions accurately out of 10, in contrast with six for Bosco. In a traditional examination, Aline would rating increased.
Nonetheless, if Aline answered principally simpler questions whereas Bosco answered harder ones, Bosco may reveal the next stage of proficiency regardless of answering fewer questions accurately. PISA is designed to seize this distinction.
What Stage 2 means
PISA outcomes are divided into proficiency ranges, with Stage 2 used because the baseline. Stage 2 isn’t a move mark. Moderately, it signifies that college students have demonstrated fundamental data and expertise in a topic.
In science, a pupil at Stage 2 can recognise an accurate rationalization for a well-recognized scientific phenomenon and, in easy circumstances, use data from information to guage whether or not a conclusion is legitimate.
In arithmetic, college students at this stage can recognise how a easy real-life state of affairs might be represented mathematically, together with conditions involving distances or forex.
In studying, they will establish the principle thought in a reasonably lengthy textual content, discover data based mostly on express standards and replicate on the aim or type of a textual content when guided to take action.
13 p.c of Rwandan college students reached Stage 2 or above in science. The proportion was eight p.c in arithmetic and 4 p.c in studying.
By comparability, the OECD averages had been 74 p.c in science, 65 p.c in arithmetic and 69 p.c in studying.
This implies about 87 p.c of Rwandan college students had been under Stage 2 in science, 92 p.c in arithmetic and 96 p.c in studying.
Rwanda had nearly no college students at Ranges 5 or 6 in science and arithmetic, and nearly no college students at Stage 5 or above in studying.
College students at these increased ranges are anticipated to deal with extra complicated and unfamiliar conditions, apply data independently and, relying on the topic, consider data or develop and assess totally different approaches to an issue.
What the three p.c means
Throughout the three topics, three p.c of Rwandan college students reached at the least Stage 2 in science, studying and arithmetic.
This determine differs from the person topic outcomes as a result of a pupil needed to attain the baseline stage in all three topics to be included.
For instance, a pupil may attain Stage 2 in science however stay under that stage in studying or arithmetic and subsequently not be counted among the many three p.c.
The three p.c is subsequently not Rwanda’s total PISA rating, nor does it imply college students answered three p.c of the questions accurately.
Who took the evaluation?
A complete of 6,622 college students from 213 faculties took half in Rwanda’s evaluation. The pattern was designed to characterize the nation’s inhabitants of 15-year-olds, estimated at about 99,000.
A complete of seven,455 college students had been sampled, with the evaluation carried out between April and June 2025.
Of those that took the evaluation, 93 p.c had been in decrease secondary and 7 p.c in higher secondary. Public-school college students accounted for 91 p.c and private-school college students 9 p.c. Eighty-two p.c had been from rural areas and 18 p.c from city areas.
The OECD mentioned Rwanda’s information met its high quality requirements and had been match for reporting.
Rwanda used the paper-based model of PISA in 2025, making it one in all six contributors to make use of the format.
The evaluation format is related when deciphering a few of the outcomes. The OECD says paper- and computer-based efficiency is broadly comparable, though some comparisons require warning.
In arithmetic, proficiency for paper-based contributors is described utilizing the PISA 2012 proficiency ranges relatively than the PISA 2025 ranges.
Rwanda didn’t take part within the separate Studying within the Digital World evaluation, which examined computational problem-solving and self-directed studying.
PISA isn’t a college examination
PISA doesn’t give particular person college students, lecturers or faculties a grade. As a substitute, a consultant pattern of 15-year-olds is assessed to supply a sign of how an schooling system is performing.
The evaluation additionally collects details about college students’ backgrounds and college experiences, permitting efficiency to be examined alongside components linked to studying.
In Rwanda, college students within the highest socioeconomic quarter scored 30 factors extra in science than these within the lowest quarter. The OECD common hole was 85 factors.
Socioeconomic standing accounted for 3 p.c of the variation in science efficiency amongst Rwandan college students, in contrast with 12 p.c throughout the OECD.
Some deprived college students additionally carried out strongly. Twenty-two p.c of deprived Rwandan college students had been among the many high quarter of science performers within the nation.
College students had been additionally requested about their expertise in school. Greater than 70 p.c reported a way of belonging.
The evaluation gathered data on bullying, cyberbullying and household assist for studying. Multiple in 5 college students reported experiencing cyberbullying at the least month-to-month.
Digital-device use was one other space lined by the evaluation. Rwandan college students reported excessive ranges of use in school for studying and leisure.
The OECD discovered that average use for studying was related to higher science efficiency, whereas extreme leisure use was related to weaker efficiency.
A primary PISA baseline
Rwanda’s outcomes come towards a wider decline in studying efficiency in lots of schooling methods. The OECD reported that the decline in a number of methods started earlier than the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some international locations have recorded enhancements. Cambodia, for instance, elevated its science rating by 35 factors between 2022 and 2025.
The federal government plans to make use of the outcomes to establish areas for enchancment and put together for the subsequent PISA evaluation in 2029.
