Romania's interim education minister calls PISA 2025 results a cognitive crisis

Interim Education and Research Minister Mihai Dimian described Romania's performance in the 2025 PISA assessment as "weak," noting that around half of students fail to acquire the basic knowledge and skills expected at the end of gymnasium. He compared these findings with the 2024 National Evaluation, where 42% of eighth-graders scored below a 5 in mathematics and 54% fell short of a 6, underscoring a similar vulnerability.

Dimian warned that 52% of pupils scored below level 2 in math on PISA, a threshold for functional illiteracy, and attributed the decline partly to pandemic effects and the influence of digital environments and AI on learning. He said the trend mirrors the international drop observed among OECD members, especially in math and science. The minister pledged to publish a broader analysis and outline steps to raise achievement, emphasizing the need for realistic assessment and consistent effort.