Ecuador launches education plan after PISA scores decline
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The Ecuadorian government announced a national plan to improve learning in reading, math, and science after the country’s scores decreased on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests compared to its first participation in 2017.
Education Minister Gilda Alcívar stated the PISA results reveal long-term educational gaps in these subjects and will guide future action. The plan will include regular evaluations of its progress and targeted support for schools and students with the greatest needs.
Ecuador also intends to expand its reading promotion policies, having already invested $500,000 in reading environments this year. In the most recent PISA assessments, Ecuador ranked 70th out of 91 countries in science with a score of 393, 65th in reading comprehension with 385, and 76th in mathematics with 366. These scores represent a decrease of seven points in science, twenty-four in reading, and eleven in math since 2017.
However, the PISA report noted that the results may be more positive when considering Ecuador’s expansion of secondary education to historically marginalized populations. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of 15-year-old students eligible to take the PISA tests increased in Ecuador despite a declining birth rate, suggesting increased enrollment in secondary education. 9,128 students from 266 schools participated in the PISA tests, representing approximately 84% of all 15-year-old students in the country.
