PISA 2025 Results: Dominican Republic faces a worrying learning crisis
The former Minister of Education and current Secretary of Education for the Fuerza del Pueblo party, Josefina Pimentel, has described the recent results obtained by the Dominican Republic in the 2025 PISA tests as a learning crisis. According to the expert, the country remains stagnant among the nations with the lowest performance globally, showing no significant progress in fundamental competencies compared to previous evaluations.
Pimentel emphasized that, although the educational system faces challenges shared by other nations, this should not serve as an excuse to minimize the educational lag present in the country. The most alarming data revealed by the report is that nearly 69.3% of the Dominican students evaluated show poor performance simultaneously in the areas of mathematics, reading, and science.
We are facing a learning crisis that transcends our borders, but not all countries face it from the same starting point. The Dominican Republic continues to be among the lowest-performing systems, and that reality must lead us to concentrate our greatest efforts on ensuring that our students truly learn.
Josefina Pimentel, Secretary of Education for the Fuerza del Pueblo.
Breakdown of academic results
- Mathematics: The country obtained 339 points, ranking 83rd out of 89 systems, with 90.6% of students below the minimum proficiency level.
- Reading: With 346 points, the nation placed 80th out of 89 participants.
- Science: 361 points were recorded, a figure far from the 482-point average established by OECD member countries.
The former official stressed that, although there are minor historical advances, it is extremely worrying that in the 2022-2025 period no relevant statistical improvement has been achieved in any of the three areas evaluated. For Pimentel, the approach must transcend budgetary investment and focus on the real transformation of learning in the classrooms.
Proposals for a change in the educational model
Given this scenario, the Fuerza del Pueblo has insisted on the need to strengthen reading comprehension and critical thinking from the early school stage. Former President Leonel Fernández has advocated for the implementation of the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) educational model, which promotes interdisciplinary learning based on practice and problem-solving.
Pimentel pointed out that this transformation must include a national policy that prioritizes teacher training, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, and the optimal use of school time. He concluded by noting that the results of PISA 2025 must serve as a turning point to establish clear goals that ensure Dominican youth can reason, analyze, and apply their knowledge in daily life.
