Their results have held steady even as many countries across Europe recorded sharp declines.
The OECD study, carried out every three years, tests how well pupils apply their skills in real-world situations
This year's focus was science, where Polish pupils averaged 495 points against an EU average of 476 — beaten only by Estonia and Finland among EU countries.
In maths, Poland scored 484 points, against an EU average of 460, with only Estonia scoring higher.
In reading, Poland's 482 points put it behind only Estonia and Ireland, against an EU average of 451.
Countries in Asia recorded the highest scores worldwide, as in previous years.
Officials in Poland said the results have held steady since the last study in 2022, a notable achievement given widespread declines elsewhere.
Education Minister Barbara Nowacka, speaking at the official presentation of the results at the Educational Research Institute (IBE), said studies like PISA "show us where we are, what we've already achieved, and what we still need to work on to develop Polish schools responsibly."
Tomasz Gajderowicz, from IBE, said no EU country improved its science scores over that period except Slovakia, and results fell significantly in Latvia, Denmark, Slovenia and Malta.
He singled out the drop in maths and reading as the most worrying finding, calling it "an alarm for education systems worldwide" — in maths, results fell sharply not only in those four countries but also in Sweden, France and Spain.
Poland was among only four countries where reading results held steady, he added, while nearly every other European system saw significant declines.
More than 760,000 pupils in 91 countries took part in the study, including over 7,000 in Poland, tested between 3 March and 25 April 2025.
(ał)
Source: PAP