OECD Education Chief praises Georgia’s progress in latest PISA results

Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, on Tuesday praised Georgia’s latest PISA results, describing the country’s progress as a model for other education systems around the world.

“My most sincere congratulations to Georgia’s teachers and school principals. The results achieved in the latest cycle of the OECD’s PISA assessment are not just good news for Georgia. This is a story that other countries should pay attention to”, Schleicher said.

He noted that at a time when many education systems are facing significant challenges, Georgia has continued to advance and is among the few countries that have improved student performance across all three PISA domains - science, reading and mathematics - since 2022.

Schleicher highlighted Georgia’s achievements in science and mathematics as particularly significant, noting that the country recorded its highest-ever scores in both subjects since joining PISA in 2010.

“This tells us something important. We see Georgia’s school system moving forward, and that matters enormously. The classrooms you are creating today will become the society, economy and democracy of tomorrow. Education is what shapes a country’s future”, he said.

According to Schleicher, the students currently in Georgian classrooms will become the engineers, entrepreneurs, doctors, researchers, teachers and public servants of the future, contributing to economic development, strengthening communities and shaping the institutions on which Georgia’s future depends.

He also praised Georgian teachers, pointing out that eight out of 10 students reported that their teachers take an interest in their individual progress. PISA data, he said, consistently shows that students achieve better outcomes when teachers know them well, support their aspirations and take an active interest in their development.

Schleicher noted that many Georgian students demonstrate confidence in their abilities, take responsibility for their learning, set goals and actively shape their own futures - qualities he described as essential for success in modern society.

Another notable aspect of Georgia’s progress, he said, is that the country has shown that educational quality and equity can advance together. While in many countries a child’s opportunities remain closely tied to their family background, Georgia has demonstrated a different trajectory.

He noted that a significant share of the country’s improvement between 2015 and 2022 was driven by stronger performance among socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Reducing educational inequality, he added, has long been one of Georgia’s key challenges, and the latest results indicate meaningful progress.

Schleicher also highlighted Georgian students’ active use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. He attributed part of this success to teachers who are helping students navigate a rapidly changing technological environment and welcomed the government’s efforts to equip schools with modern technologies as a critical investment in the future.

At the same time, he identified parental engagement as an area requiring greater attention, stressing that schools cannot address every challenge on their own.

“It would be naïve to expect schools to compensate for everything that a student’s family cannot provide. We need to think about how to involve parents more actively in the learning process and make them true partners”, he said.

According to Schleicher, PISA data shows a strong link between family support and student achievement. Such support does not necessarily mean helping children with mathematics every evening; rather, students need to feel that their education matters to their parents. Taking an interest in what children are learning and listening to them, he said, can make a significant difference.

“Georgia has made significant progress, but there is still much work to be done. We need to keep moving forward - faster, further and in a way that brings every child along with us”, Schleicher said.

He concluded by describing the talent, creativity and potential of Georgia’s students as the country’s most valuable natural resource, stressing that investing in young people will ultimately determine Georgia’s future.