“Zambia Awaits PISA Results as Education Performance Comes Under Spotlight”
By Alain Kabinda
Zambia is set to receive the results of the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tomorrow, with education authorities expecting the findings to provide important evidence on learning outcomes and guide future education policies.
The results will be officially released in Paris by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which coordinates the international assessment.
Speaking during a media engagement in Lusaka, Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) Director of Research, Planning and Information Dr Shadreck Nkoya said Zambia’s participation in international large-scale assessments was aimed at generating evidence on learner performance and the factors affecting education outcomes.
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He said the assessments examine learners’ performance in Reading, Mathematics and Science, while also collecting information on learner background, motivation, resilience and their ability to manage learning in a digital environment.
Zambia first participated in PISA in 2018 through PISA for Development, a programme designed, among other objectives, to strengthen countries’ capacity to conduct large-scale assessments and use education data to inform policy.
The country subsequently participated in the 2022 PISA cycle, during a period when Zambia was implementing its new curriculum.
In 2025, Zambia joined the main PISA assessment alongside 90 other education systems globally, with about 760,000 students taking part worldwide.
Science was the main assessment domain for the 2025 cycle, while Reading and Mathematics were also assessed.
The assessment also placed increased emphasis on learning in a digital environment and students’ self-regulated learning skills.
Zambia’s participation alongside African countries such as Morocco and Egypt provides an opportunity for the country to benchmark its education system against international standards.
According to Dr Shadreck Nkoya, the assessment provides an opportunity for education systems to identify what works, learn from successful countries and use evidence to strengthen policies and teaching practices.
The results are also expected to offer an indication of whether investments in classrooms, teachers, learning materials and education monitoring are translating into improved learning outcomes.
This is expected to make the findings an important reference point for policymakers, educators and other stakeholders seeking to address gaps in the education system.
As Zambia awaits the results, Dr Shadreck Nkoyahe has urged the media and other stakeholders to interpret and communicate the findings responsibly and within their proper context.
The Council, working with the OECD, is expected to provide technical support to stakeholders to help them understand the results and their implications for Zambia’s education system.
OECD Paris Data Manager for PISA Guillaume Bouquet is expected to provide technical guidance during the interpretation of the findings.
Among the key questions following the release will be how Zambia performed in Reading, Mathematics and Science, whether the country has made progress since its earlier participation in PISA, and which education policies and interventions may require strengthening.
The findings are also expected to inform Zambia’s preparations for PISA 2029, while providing evidence that could be used to strengthen teaching and learning.
The ECZ has described the release as an important moment for the country’s education sector.
“Tomorrow is a big day for education in Zambia,”Dr Shadreck Nkoya said, expressing confidence that the findings would provide an opportunity for the country to learn from evidence and strengthen its education system.
The Council has meanwhile reminded the media that the PISA 2025 results remain under embargo until their official international release tomorrow.
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