The more kids use screens, the more their results decline, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has warned after Australian students recorded their worst ever scores in maths and reading.
The results from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assessment, released on Tuesday night, show that Australian high school students' results in these two critical domains have hit their lowest point on record, continuing a 20-year decline.
There were some green shoots in the domain of science, however, with Australian students achieving a mean score of 509 points – significantly higher than the OECD average of 482 points.
Australian students performed best in Learning in the Digital World, a domain measuring how well young people learn in technology-rich environments. They scored 532 points against an OECD average of 500, with more than 75% meeting the National Proficient Standard, suggesting Australian students continue to fare well in digital-age learning and problem-solving.
Digital skills still matter, but so does balance
“PISA data shows the more kids are online, the more their results decline,” Clare said following the release of the data. “Other tests like TIMSS, PIRLS and previous PISA rounds show the same thing – students who use screens a lot score lower than those who don’t.”
However, Clare said this doesn’t mean there is no place for technology in schools.
“Students need to learn digital skills, including how to use – and how not to use – AI; but it does point to the need to wind back the amount of screen time in schools – a digital detox.”
Clare said this issue will be on the agenda when Education Ministers next meet in October.
Read more: Urgent regulation on edtech needed – global report
OECD Secretary-General, Mathias Cormann, said PISA 2025 shows that reversing declines in student performance is “urgent”.
“In reading, increased digitalisation, longer screen time and falling rates of reading for enjoyment have coincided with weaker literacy outcomes,” Cormann said. “Countries with the largest declines in reading also tended to record the largest drops in mathematics and science.”
Cormann said the most successful education systems focus on fewer areas in greater depth, invest in teachers, engage parents and provide targeted support for the students and schools that need it the most.
“Technology and AI can strengthen learning and help prepare young people for the future, but only when used purposefully and not as a substitute for attention, effort and understanding.”
Equity is the bigger picture
AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said while Australia continues to perform above OECD rankings, inequity in learning environments and infrastructure, teacher workforce shortages and diversity are creating barriers for some students.
"It's important to look beyond simplistic rankings with PISA,” Haythorpe said. “It is a significant data set that shows the strong connection between prioritising equity in education and its link to educational outcomes for students.”
“These figures show Australia has an unacceptably large gap between socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged students, with a higher proportion of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds attending public schools.”
The Australian Council for Educational Research, who manages PISA in Australia, has reported that differences between school sectors become substantially smaller when taking differences in socio-economic background into account.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of students were in schools where a lack of physical infrastructure was perceived to hinder instruction, while 9% of students in Australia attended schools whose principals reported that a lack of educational material.
Teacher shortages were an equally pressing issue. Almost half (49%) of Australian students are in schools whose principals say a lack of teaching staff is hindering instruction, well above the OECD average of 39%.
And the burden isn't shared evenly. Teacher shortages are more than three times as common in low socio-economic status public schools, affecting 74% of students, compared to just 20% in high SES schools.
This disparity reflects a broader divide in the make-up of Australia's student cohorts.
A greater proportion of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds attend public schools (34%) than Catholic (17%) or independent schools (13%). Australia's student population is also increasingly diverse, with 14% of students classified as first-generation immigrants, compared to just 8% across the OECD on average.
Haythorpe said the PISA results demonstrate why investment must be directed towards measures that improve educational equity, teacher and student wellbeing and student outcomes.
“Teachers are dealing with increasing complexity in classrooms, with growth in inequity and students with diverse needs requiring additional supports,” Haythorpe said.
“We see countries like Estonia that prioritise school funding,respect teachers and teaching as a profession, and show a strong commitment to public education, have made significant advances in their results.”
Haythorpe said Australia’s education system must meet the needs of every child regardless of their background or circumstances.
“All governments must ensure that public school investment is properly targeted, students get the teaching and learning support they need and teachers get the support and respect they deserve.”