Australia’s classroom disruption among worst in world, prompting calls for ‘digital detox’
Summary
A global report shows Australian public school students lag about two and a half years behind independent school students in reading, math, and science. Despite this, Australia performs above the world average, but classroom disruptions and digital distractions remain major concerns.Key Facts
- The 2025 Pisa test assessed 15-year-olds’ literacy in 91 countries, including Australia.
- Australian students in public schools scored about 50 points lower than those in independent schools, equal to 2.5 years of study.
- Australia’s performance is still above the average of OECD countries but has declined over time in reading, math, and science.
- Gender differences exist: girls perform better in reading, boys better in math, while science scores are similar by gender.
- Classroom disruption is high, with 41% of Australian students reporting frequent noise and disorder, above the global average of 31%.
- Digital distractions are common, with 39% saying peers get distracted by digital tools, compared to 28% globally.
- Australia is among 58% of countries that ban smartphones in schools, but other devices still cause distractions.
- The federal government will fully fund all public schools by 2034 in a new deal with states and territories.
- The education minister calls for reducing screen time in schools, calling for a "digital detox" due to links between high screen use and lower student scores.
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