The country records significant gains in performance, including improvements in mathematics and reading 

Dubai, Sept 8, 2026: The UAE has ranked first in the Arab world in the PISA 2025 international student assessment after recording significant gains in performance, including improvements in mathematics and reading. 

The country recorded an overall average improvement of 26 points, with students gaining 21 points in mathematics and 15 points in reading, according to the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). 

A total of 34,639 students from 1,070 schools across the UAE took part in the assessment, which is overseen by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

The results placed the UAE among only eight countries and economies worldwide that improved their performance across all three areas assessed by PISA, out of 91 participating countries and economies. 

PISA, conducted by the OECD, assesses the ability of 15-year-old students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, providing an international benchmark for education systems. 

The 2025 results also highlighted the UAE’s growing focus on digital skills and preparing students for rapid technological change. 

Around 96.3% of school students in the UAE receive specific guidance on the use of digital devices, while 81.7% are taught at school how to evaluate information generated by artificial intelligence. 

The figures reflect efforts by the UAE education system to integrate digital literacy and AI-related skills into learning as technology plays an increasingly important role in education and the workplace. 

The results also mark a significant improvement in the UAE’s international education performance, with the country making gains across all three PISA assessment areas while maintaining its leading position among Arab education systems. 

A statement issued by GEMS Education says students across participating GEMS Education schools achieved results significantly above both Dubai and UAE averages.  

GEMS students achieved an average score of 533 in mathematics (70 points above the OECD average and 80 points above the UAE average), 545 in science (63 points above the OECD average and 87 points above the UAE average) and 527 in reading (66 points above the OECD average and 94 points above the UAE average), placing their performance globally among the top five, top three and top three, respectively.