Brazil Struggles in International Math Rankings

Brazil is among the bottom 17 in a pool of 81 countries in the OECD’s 2022 PISA mathematics ranking.

The OECD released this report on December 5, 2023. PISA assesses math, reading, and science students, focusing on one subject every three years.

In 2022, the emphasis was on mathematics, where Brazil ranked 65th, similar to Argentina, Colombia, and Jamaica.

Despite a slight rise in rankings from 2018, Brazil’s score dropped from 384 to 379. This decline falls within a margin of error between 376 and 382 points.

The OECD average in mathematics was 472 points, highlighting a significant gap.

The PISA test, lasting two hours, is administered to 15-year-old students. It features objective and essay questions, with half the time dedicated to the focused discipline.

Singapore led the mathematics ranking with 543 points, with other Asian regions like Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea also scoring high.

In reading and science, Brazil’s performance remained consistent with 2018. The country scored between 406 and 414 in reading and 399 to 407 in science.

Brazil’s ranking was 52nd in reading and 62nd in science, paralleling the performances of Colombia and Jamaica.

The OECD averages were 476 for reading and 485 for science, with Singapore leading in both.

PISA’s methodology targets students aged between 15 years and 3 months to 16 years and 2 months, ensuring consistent international comparisons.

In 2022, 690,000 students worldwide participated, representing about 29 million 15-year-olds.

In Brazil, INEP (National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira) oversaw the participation of 10,798 students.

This report underscores Brazil’s ongoing challenges in mathematics education.

It reflects the need for focused improvements to enhance student performance and align with global standards.