High-performing foreign pupils challenge long-held myths about academic trends.
A persistent public belief that foreign pupils drag down Cyprus's national academic standing was shattered by the latest PISA study, which reveals that children from migrant backgrounds outperform native Cypriot students across reading, mathematics, and science.
The international survey, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) across 91 countries and published by the Ministry of Education on Friday, shows a stark performance gap between immigrant and local pupils.
In reading comprehension, first-generation immigrant pupils from high socioeconomic backgrounds recorded an average score of 486 points, while second-generation children scored 424. Native Cypriot students trailed behind both groups with an average score of 415.
A similar pattern emerged in mathematics and science. High-income first-generation pupils scored 512 in math and 520 in science, compared to scores of 450 in math and 452 in science recorded by their Cypriot classmates. Even among pupils from low-income families, first-generation immigrant children scored higher in science (401 points against 389 for Cypriots) and math (408 points against 387).
Addressing the findings during a press conference, Yiasemina Karagiorgi, head of the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation, directly addressed the cultural misperception surrounding foreign pupils.
"Over time, an impression has prevailed that our results are 'excellent' and immigrants spoil them for us, in quotation marks," Karagiorgi said, clarifying that the immigrant cohort includes students attending private schools as well as children who were born abroad to families from various financial backgrounds.
While foreign pupils displayed strong performance, the overall report painted a troubling picture of general student engagement across the island.
Cyprus claimed the highest global percentage of students who gave rushed responses. Nearly a quarter of all participants, 24.9 percent, spent 10 seconds or less on individual exercises, with officials observing instances where pupils attempted to answer questions on two-page texts in a single second. Additionally, 43.5 percent of students in Cyprus performed below Level 2, meaning they lack basic functional skills in all three core subjects. This figure stands at double the European Union average of 21.3 percent.
Education Minister Athena Michaelidou pointed out that while overall averages remain lower than OECD standards, the country demonstrated strong educational resilience. The impact of a child's family income on their school success is smaller in Cyprus than in the wider European Union, indicating that public schools manage to offset domestic financial disadvantages for many students.
Michaelidou confirmed that the ministry is moving forward with reforms to shift away from rote learning and toward critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy. Education officials are also implementing measures ahead of the next PISA cycle in 2028 to better prepare students and ensure they take the testing process seriously.
