Teen Reading Performance Falls to Its Lowest Level This Century

The OECD’s latest PISA 2025 results show that reading performance among 15-year-old students worldwide continues to decline, reaching one of the weakest levels of the century. The study suggests that prolonged use of smartphones, short videos, and social media may reduce students’ ability to read long texts and understand complex ideas. This is not only a language issue; it also affects learning in science, mathematics, and citizenship education. Schools need to rebuild deep-reading habits through printed books, classroom discussion, and cross-curricular reading activities.