Why the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is problematic

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a global standardised test for 15-year olds in OECD and non-OECD nations, taken to evaluate their academic performance. Using the test results of over 500,000 students from 72 countries, it aims to provide nations with comparative data to improve their education policies. The assessment, which takes place every three years, tries to find out whether students can apply what they learn in school to real life situations. Subjects covered include science, mathematics, reading, problem-solving and financial literacy. It’s since gained a reputation as the ‘Olympics of education’, with countries like Singapore, Japan and Finland emerging as the main victors in 2015, the most recent year for which results are available. But to what extent can we rely on these results as a measure of educational development? Controversy has dogged the PISA tests since 2000 – here are some of the top criticisms put forward by academics and educators alike: PISA only measures maths, science and reading skills, and more recently, collaborative problem-solving and financial literacy skills. Then, there’s the format of the test itself. Spanning only two hours, it also relies heavily on a multiple-choice format and rating scale questions. It’s not able to capture a student’s understanding of literacy, democratic participation, soft skills like teamwork or communication, aesthetic or athletic talent – elements that are needed for a well-rounded education.