In reading the test results beyond the averages and rankings, one of the most positive indicators for Jordanian students compared to (PISA 2022) was the decrease in the percentage of students who are below Level 2 proficiency by (17) percentage points in science, (14) points in mathematics, and (6) points in reading, which means that the improvement was not just an increase in the general average, but was accompanied by a transition of some students from the low performance category to higher levels. However, on the other hand, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is responsible for conducting the test, indicates that the gap between the top (10)% of Jordanian students and the bottom (10)% of Jordanian students widened between (2022) and (2025) in science and mathematics, while it narrowed in reading, which is an important result; because it means that the general improvement was not necessarily equal among all students.
One of the striking results is that the social and economic situation explained (4)% of the variation in science performance in Jordan, compared to (12)% in the average of (OECD) countries, and the difference in science between the top quarter socially and economically and the bottom quarter was (42) points in Jordan, compared to (85) points in (OECD). In the same context, a more important indicator emerged, which is that (18)% of socially and economically deprived students in Jordan were among the top quarter of performance in science within Jordan, compared to (12)% in the average of (OECD).
Regarding the variation in the performance of males and females, the differences decreased compared to previous cycles, where the progress of females over males at high levels was a landmark for the education system in Jordan, and the differences in (PISA 2025) were (20) points in science, (33) points in reading, and (5) points in mathematics, and always in favor of females. (OECD) indicates that the gap between male and female Jordanian students in science narrowed compared to the (2022) cycle, that is, the performance of male students improved to a greater extent with the continued superiority of females, and it is clear that the gap is almost disappearing in mathematics, while it becomes clear in science and much larger in reading. This means that the gender gap in reading is still very large in Jordan, although Jordan's performance in reading has improved significantly between (2022) and (2025), and in this context, (OECD) indicates that the differences between males and females in reading are a widespread phenomenon internationally, and not an isolated Jordanian case. Although the gender differences in mathematics were (5) points, (OECD) did not consider these differences statistically significant, and this result is also striking; because the general average of (OECD) in mathematics tends in favor of males by (13) points, while this pattern does not appear in Jordan.
It is certain that these indicators about the social and economic impact on the performance of Jordanian students in important subjects and skills need to be studied and given great attention by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, and Jordanian civil society organizations related to it, in order to enhance the positive aspects and build upon them, and address the disparities caused by social features in Jordanian society, especially gender disparities.
