Turkey has recorded the most significant improvements in science, reading, and mathematics scores among OECD nations in the 2025 PISA results.. These gains follow a period of targeted educational investment and systemic reform across the country.
Science, Reading, and Math: The 2025 PISA Surge
The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results reveal that Turkey has achieved the largest score increases across all three core subject areas among the 91 participating economies. According to the OECD and Turkey's Ministry of National Education, the Turkish student cohort earned a score of 494 in science, 472 in reading, and 462 in mathematics. These figures represent a substantial climb from the 2022 benchmarks.
The scale of the assessment was extensive, involving 7,702 students across 203 schools in 56 different Turkish provinces. These students participated in a 12-week digital testing window from mid-April to mid-May. The resulting data shows that Turkey's global rank jumped 15 places in science, 18 places in reading, and 11 places in mathematics, positioning the country among the top fifteen performers in science.
A 22-Year Climb from the 2003 Baseline
When viewed through a long-term lens, Turkey's trajectory stands in stark contrast to a broader global trend. while many OECD nations have experienced a gradual decline in average educational performance since the early 2000s, Turkey has maintained a steady ascent. Since first entering the PISA arena in 2003, Turkey has seen its science scores climb by 60 points, reading by 31 points, and mathematics by 39 points.
This growth is further highlighted by percentile rankings when normalized against the 2003 baseline. Turkey now stands in the 64th percentile for science, the 60th percentile for reading, and the 52nd percentile for mathematics. As reported by the Ministry of National Education, Turkey is the only OECD country to have managed simultaneous increases across all three domains over the last decade, suggesting a systemic rather than incidental improvement.
Free Textbooks and STEM Training as Growth Engines
The Turkish government attributes this academic acceleration to a combination of infrastructure investment and pedagogical shifts. A primary driver was the rollout of free textbooks and the expansion of preschool education, which provided a more equitable foundation for students before they entered primary school. Additionally, the Ministry of National Education implemented new programs designed to bolster STEM competence through specialized teacher training.
Beyond physical materials, the integration of digital learning resources played a critical role in the 2025 PISA success. By combining supplemental pedagogical materials with targeted support for literacy and numeracy, the Turkish educational system sought to modernize its approach to core competencies. Analysts suggest that this level of sustained political commitment is what allowed Turkey to reverse the downward trends seen in other developed economies.
The 23rd Place Hurdle in Mathematics
Despite the historic gains, the 2025 PISA data highlights a persistent gap in quantitative skills. turkey currently ranks 23rd in mathematics among the 38 OECD members that reported scores, lagging significantly behind its performance in science and reading. While the rank has improved, mathematics remains the weakest of the three core pillars.
Several critical questions remain unanswered in the current reporting. While the Ministry of National Education celebrates the overall rise, the report does not specify the exact roadmap for closing the gap in mathematics to match the success seen in science. Furthermore, it remains unclear if these gains are uniform across all 12 distinct regions sampled or if specific provinces are driving the average upward. The source provides the aggregate success but lacks a granular breakdown of regional disparities.
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