Calgary 
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) holds worldwide tests – Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) – for 15-year-old students in member countries to determine how students are doing in key academic areas like mathematics, reading, and science.
CNW Group/Royal Canadian Geographical Society
OECD has released the report for the year 2022, and the result finds that average Canadian student performance in mathematics and reading declined compared to 2018, reaching the lowest levels in history, while science scores remained similar to 2018 but lower than earlier assessments.
Even with the decline in performance, Canadian students scored above the OECD average in all three subjects. The report says a significant proportion of students were top performers, demonstrating high levels of proficiency in at least one subject.
Source: OECD, PISA 2022 Database, Tables I.B1.5.4, I.B1.5.5 and I.B1.5.6.
Compared to 2012, Canada’s mean score reduced by 20.6 points in maths, 17 in reading and 12.8 in science. There was a significant increase in the proportion of Canadian students scoring below basic proficiency across all three subjects: a seven-point increase in both mathematics and reading, and a four-point increase in science.
Source: PISA 2022 Database, Tables I.B1.5.1-12, I.B1.5.19, I.B1.5.20 and I.B1.5.21.
The report finds that 78% of Canadian students achieved at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics, surpassing the OECD average. However, only 12% were considered top performers in this subject. In reading, 82% of students in Canada reached Level 2 or higher, with 14% scoring at Level 5 or higher. Similarly, 85% achieved Level 2 or above in science, with 12% being top performers.
The assessment also highlighted the impact of socioeconomic status on student performance. Students from socio-economically advantaged backgrounds significantly outperformed their less advantaged peers, particularly in mathematics. Gender disparities were also evident, with boys outperforming girls in mathematics while girls were better at reading.
The report also highlighted various social factors. Canada’s diverse student population, with 34% having an immigrant background, showed that immigrant students generally fared better in mathematics and reading when socio-economic factors were considered.
School life and well-being also formed a crucial part of the assessment. Approximately three-quarters of students felt a sense of belonging at their school. However, discipline in mathematics classes was a concern, with 21% of students distracted, often due to digital devices. Safety was another issue, with a small percentage feeling unsafe en route to school and about a fifth experiencing bullying.
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on education was significant. Over half of the students reported school closures for more than three months, and many faced challenges with remote learning, including understanding assignments and accessing help.
The report also says the cumulative expenditure on education per student over ten years of age between 6 and 15 in Canada was around USD 121,700, which is above the OECD average.
Students from Singapore, Japan and Korea lead in all three academic areas.
Within Canada:
The 2022 PISA results for Canadian provinces show that Alberta students emerged as the top scorers in both Science and Reading and ranked second to Quebec in Mathematics.
On the lower end, New Brunswick students have the lowest scores in Reading and Science, while those from Newfoundland and Labrador have scored the lowest in Mathematics.
15-year-olds from other provinces like Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan also show varying performances across the three subjects, but none matches Alberta’s or Quebec’s high scores.
Ontario and British Columbia students have respectable scores in all three subjects, including Ontario’s second place in Reading and third in Science. British Columbia places second in science and third in math and reading.
| Province/Region | Mathematics | Science | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 497 | 515 | 507 |
| Alberta | 504 (2) | 534 (1) | 525 (1) |
| British Columbia | 496 (3) | 519 (2) | 511 (3) |
| Manitoba | 470 (6) | 492 (7) | 486 (7) |
| New Brunswick | 468 (8) | 483 (10) | 469 (10) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 459 (10) | 491 (9) | 478 (9) |
| Nova Scotia | 470 (6) | 492 (7) | 489 (6) |
| Ontario | 495 (4) | 517 (3) | 512 (2) |
| Prince Edward Island | 478 (5) | 496 (5) | 496 (5) |
| Quebec | 514 (1) | 512 (4) | 501 (4) |
| Saskatchewan | 468 (8) | 494 (6) | 484 (8) |
Mean Score /Data from Annex B2. Results for regions within countries
A note of caution: The PISA test, initially scheduled for 2021, was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting data collection and compliance with technical standards. OECD says most countries met PISA standards, but a few did not. Regarding the results for Canada, the report states, “In 2022, student response rates decreased with respect to PISA 2018, and fell short of the target in 7 out of 10 provinces (all but New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan). School response rates also fell short of the target. The analyses clearly indicate that school non-response has not led to any appreciable bias, but student non-response has given rise to a small upwards bias.”
Programme for International Student Assessment involved students taking two hour-long tests on different subjects, with each student receiving a unique combination of subjects and questions. The tests included both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Additionally, students spent about 35 minutes completing a background questionnaire to provide information about themselves, their attitudes, and their home and school environments. School principals also filled out a questionnaire regarding school management and the learning environment.
