Costa Rica posted a historic 13-point increase in science scores on the 2025 PISA international assessment, rising from 411 points in 2022 to 424 points, according to data released by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). According to reports from La Nación and Infobae, this marks the first statistically significant improvement for the country in the history of the triennial test, standing in sharp contrast to a global OECD average that dropped five points in the same subject.
Exceptional Cross-Subject Stability Amid Global Declines
Out of 37 OECD countries with comparable data, Costa Rica joined only Slovakia and Turkey as the sole nations that did not experience a score drop across science, reading, and mathematics. In reading, Costa Rica registered 416 points, maintaining statistical stability with a one-point increase, while the wider OECD average plummeted by 14 points as 28 out of 38 member countries receded. In mathematics, the country scored 387 points—a three-point rise—while the OECD average fell by nine points.
According to PISA metrics, which evaluate how 15-year-old students apply knowledge to real-world situations, this performance substantially narrowed Costa Rica’s gap with the OECD average. The deficit shrank by 16 points in science, by 15 points in reading, and by 11 points in mathematics. Regionally, Costa Rica secured the third-best position in Latin America for science, trailing only Uruguay at 445 points and Chile at 442 points, while finishing ahead of Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
Pandemic and Strike Disruptions Overshadowed by Resilience
The student cohort that took the 2025 exam was born mostly in 2009 and entered primary school in 2017. During critical foundational years for reading comprehension and basic mathematics, these students lived through an 89-day national teacher strike in 2018, student protests in 2019, and extensive classroom closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 through 2022.
Education Minister Leonardo Sánchez noted that the results reflect the dedication of students, teachers, and families during a uniquely turbulent formative window. At a press conference reported by La Nación, Sánchez emphasized that while the science milestone is a welcome breakthrough, the country still faces deep challenges. “We are happy with the results obtained, but not satisfied because we have a lot left to do,” Sánchez said, designating fundamental reading and mathematical literacy as primary ongoing objectives for future educational policy.
Expanded Participation and Classroom Dynamics
The 2025 testing cycle in Costa Rica involved 6,881 students across 202 public, private, urban, and rural educational centers. Validated against strict OECD quality standards, the sample was larger than in 2022, representing 54,300 youths and abarcando al 73 % of the 15-year-old population. Top-tier performers among Costa Rican students reached benchmark scores of 477 in science, 474 in reading, and 432 in mathematics, matching or exceeding national averages across multiple developed economies.
Classroom surveys accompanying the PISA assessment indicated that between 79 % and 86 % of students felt supported by educators who maintained engagement until concepts were fully understood. At the same time, the data revealed emerging technological habits: a portion of Costa Rican students reported using chatbots weekly for learning, eclipsing the OECD average and setting a new demand for critical digital literacy integration in upcoming academic cycles.
>