Debate contribution: Programme for International Student Assessment Report
Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Givan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 6 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Programme for International Student Assessment Report
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5776907
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Being able to get data is hugely important to inform the education system on how we are performing. We had the PISA, which was a snapshot of a representative sample, but, for the first time in more than 20 years, we also had data for children across Northern Ireland in all of our schools. That was published last week. They were the first literacy and numeracy assessment results, and, while the results of those assessments show that many pupils are performing well, they reveal significant challenges that Members cannot ignore. The results show that almost three in 10 pupils are not reaching the expected standard in literacy and numeracy by the end of primary school and that, by the end of Key Stage 3, almost one third of pupils are not achieving the expected level in numeracy. PISA also found that nearly one third of our young people do not have basic proficiency in maths and nearly a quarter do not have basic proficiency in reading at the age of 15. That is simply not good enough. Literacy and numeracy are the foundation on which all learning is built and the gateway to future success in education, employment and life. The literacy and numeracy results that were published last week and the PISA outcomes published earlier this month show why continued reform through TransformED is essential.
226 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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