The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international study that was launched by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1997 and first administered in 2000.

It aims to evaluate education systems worldwide every 4 years by assessing 15-year-olds’ competencies in the key subjects of reading, mathematics, and science. PISA focuses on young people’s ability to use their knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges. This orientation reflects a change in the goals and objectives of curricula themselves, which are increasingly concerned with what students can do with what they learn at school.

Malta has participated in PISA 2009, PISA 2015, PISA 2018, PISA 2022 and PISA 2025. The PISA 2025 results are expected to be published in September 2026.

Click here to watch and listen to a discussion on EduChatter with education expert, Anna Pons, from the OECD, about the latest PISA results available, in which she shares her perspectives on the key findings, shedding light on the trends, challenges, and potential solutions that arise from the latest international assessment.

You can also watch this brief, local video about the PISA 2025 study.

For more information, visit the PISA website from here.

PISA for Schools

For the first time, Malta will also be participating in the PISA for Schools assessment by piloting the project with State schools. PISA for Schools is a digital assessment that provides a school-level estimate of performance and information about the learning environment and students’ attitudes gathered from student questionnaires. The international benchmarking used is based on items that measure the same competences as PISA.

Since the assessment is tailor-made for schools, schools receive valuable materials designed to support their continued growth and development. Malta is administering the PISA for Schools assessment in November 2026.

For more information, visit the PISA for Schools website from here.