Moroccan students recorded significant declines in mathematics, reading and science in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, compared with 2022, according to results published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Morocco’s average scores fell by 10 points in mathematics, 18 points in reading and seven points in science compared with the previous assessment.
Moroccan students scored an average of 355 points in mathematics, 321 in reading and 358 in science. Their average score in computational thinking was 374 points. All four scores were below the OECD averages.
The 2025 assessment covered more than 760,000 students worldwide, representing about 33 million 15-year-olds across 91 countries and education systems.
In Morocco, 73.2% of students participating in the assessment scored below Level 2, the baseline proficiency level used by PISA to indicate that students have acquired basic skills in a subject.
Only 0.1% of Moroccan students reached the highest performance levels, Levels 5 and 6.
Girls outperform boys in reading and science
Girls performed better than boys in reading and science.
Girls recorded an average reading score of 329 points, compared with 313 for boys. In science, girls scored 359 points compared with 357 for boys.
Boys narrowly outperformed girls in mathematics, with average scores of 356 and 354 points, respectively.
The assessment also highlighted challenges related to attendance, school resources and teaching staff.
Only 31.9% of Moroccan students reported regular attendance with low levels of absenteeism.
Just 33.4% of students were enrolled in schools that reported no teaching staff shortages, while only 12.4% studied in schools with sufficient equipment and resources, according to the results.
Digital technology and AI
The results also examined students’ use of digital technology and artificial intelligence.
While 81.8% of Moroccan schools reportedly banned mobile phones and 63.8% provided subject-specific guidance on digital technology, Morocco remained below the international average in the reported use of digital technology to improve teaching.
AI use has also become widespread among students. Overall, 44.9% of Moroccan students reported using AI to support their learning.
Across the 71 education systems with comparable data, 46% of students said they used chatbots at least once a week to help with learning, while 29% reported using them for writing and composition.
The OECD found that moderate, guided use of AI for learning was associated with stronger science performance. By contrast, daily overuse or relying heavily on AI for writing was associated with lower academic performance.
The report stressed that AI and digital tools should support learning without replacing students’ own cognitive effort and critical thinking.
Environmental awareness and bullying
Moroccan students showed relatively strong environmental awareness.
About 70.5% said they wanted to contribute to environmental protection through their future careers, compared with an international average of 61.6%.
Meanwhile, 81.5% reported having participated in at least one environmental activity at school.
The assessment also found concerns surrounding bullying and harassment. Only 48.3% of Moroccan students said they had not experienced bullying, compared with an OECD average of 52.5%.
Family engagement in education also declined compared with 2022. The share of students whose parents asked them weekly about school fell to 51% from 58%, while the proportion who said they discussed school-related problems with their families weekly fell to 41% from 47%.
Global performance declines
The OECD said PISA 2025 results showed continued declines in student performance globally in mathematics, reading and science, extending a downward trend that has persisted for more than a decade.
Across 60 of the 71 education systems with comparable data, the proportion of students who said they did not find learning new things difficult or boring declined between 2022 and 2025. The share remained stable in 11 systems.
The OECD also linked family interest in students’ education with better academic outcomes, even as direct family support declined in most countries compared with 2022.
OECD calls for stronger basic skills
The OECD recommended that education systems place greater emphasis on the quality and depth of curricula in response to declining student performance.
It called for stronger instruction in core skills in mathematics, reading and science, as well as high and consistent standards aimed at ensuring that all students achieve basic proficiency.
The organization also urged governments to protect classrooms from digital distractions by limiting or banning mobile phone and personal device use for non-educational purposes during lessons.
At the same time, it said digital technology and AI should be used to provide tailored exercises and learning assistance rather than replace students’ cognitive effort.
The report also called for greater investment in teachers, including training to help educators manage classrooms and motivate students, as well as a more equitable distribution of teaching staff, equipment and financial resources, particularly in vulnerable schools and communities.
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