New Zealand's science and maths scores in the international Pisa tests for 15-year-olds have improved or stabilised after more than 20 years of decline.
By John Gerritsen of RNZ
The country's average science score rose from 504 to 509 points, while maths rose by a single point to 480.
In reading, New Zealand reached a new low of 497, a small drop of four points caused by a fall in boys' scores.
The changes were considered statistically insignificant, but the science and maths results would be regarded as good news following successive declines that left reading 32 points adrift of a high recorded in the early-2000s, maths down 43 points, and science 23 points.
The OECD said 20 points were equivalent to a year of learning.
Other countries' scores also declined in that period and especially since Covid, meaning New Zealand maintained its position around the top 10 in reading and science and above the OECD average in maths.
However, New Zealand's scores might be inflated by as much as 15 points because the students who sat the test were not an entirely representative sample of the country's 15-year-olds.
"The analysis showed slightly more high-achieving students participated. This means the results will likely show New Zealand in a more positive light than if we had an unbiased sample, potentially by about 10-15 PISA points," an Education Ministry report on New Zealand's results said.
"It is important to note that the bias may not affect trend or country comparisons to its full extent, because a similar (although, likely, smaller) bias may also affect past results and the results of other countries and economies."
A similar problem affected the previous 2022 test results for New Zealand.
Singapore, Macao, Taiwan and China (where Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, participated) topped the tables.
Singapore had the highest score in reading (535) followed by China and Taiwan. China was top in maths (612) and in science (597) followed by Singapore, Macao and Taiwan.
Estonia was the highest-scoring nation outside of Asia in science with 527 points and in maths (508), and in reading it scored 499, fractionally behind Ireland with 500.
A report on New Zealand's results said the science result had not changed significantly since 2012, and the reading score was considered similar to results going back to 2015.
However, the gap between the highest and lowest performers in reading had grown to 302 points, similar to the gap recorded in Australia and the USA but above the OECD average of 264 points.
Nearly a quarter (23%) of New Zealand students were considered poor readers, slightly more than in 2022 and well above the 14% recorded in 2000.
Just 14% were top-scorers in reading.
In science, 19% of New Zealand students were low achievers, and 13% were high achievers.
In maths, 29% of New Zealand teens were low performers, nearly double the figure recorded in 2003-9, while 11% were top performers, about half the figure in 2003-9.
The report said most of the difference in performance occurred within schools, not between schools.
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