Education minister blames poor PISA results on lack of reading comprehension and links it to screen use
The Spanish Ministry of Education has denied linking poor results in the 2025 PISA report to the LOMLOE education law, known as the 'Celaá Law.' Spanish students aged 15 scored their worst-ever performance in reading, math, and science according to OECD assessments based on the curriculum introduced by the LOMLOE. Education Minister Milagros Tolón emphasized that the law promotes a competency-based approach aligned with PISA evaluation methods, which focus on problem-solving and practical application of knowledge. She attributed the low reading comprehension skills among students to excessive screen time and superficial digital habits, suggesting this undermines academic performance. Tolón stressed the importance of improving comprehensive reading skills as foundational to all learning areas. The ministry also noted that while some regions like Madrid and Castile and León showed positive results, the overall decline cannot be blamed on the LOMLOE. Deputy Secretary of State Abelardo de la Rosa echoed these points, stating the drop in scores affects all countries and attributing it more to digital factors rather than the new educational framework.
The Spanish Ministry of Education has rejected claims linking the poor performance of students in the 2025 OECD PISA results to the LOMLOE law, known as the "Celaá Law," which was enacted by the government of Pedro Sánchez at the end of 2020. Spanish students aged 15 scored their worst result in the history of the OECD’s PISA assessments in reading, mathematics, and science. According to the latest data, students are half a school year behind the OECD average in reading comprehension. Minister Milagros Tolón emphasized during an interview with Cadena SER that the LOMLOE did not cause the decline, but instead established a competency-based approach in teaching. She stated that the methodology introduced by the education reform aligns with the PISA evaluation system, which focuses on problem-solving skills and the application of learned knowledge. Tolón argued that poor reading comprehension directly affects students’ ability to solve math problems, highlighting this as a fundamental issue. Tolón linked the lack of reading comprehension to modern habits such as rapid and superficial reading due to digital platforms and short messages. She stressed the importance of continuing efforts to improve comprehensive reading skills, calling it the foundation for all learning. When asked about the varying results among autonomous communities, particularly the positive outcomes in Madrid and Castilla y León, she urged examining these differences through sectoral meetings to reinforce effective practices. Secretary of State for Education, Abelardo de la Rosa, echoed Tolón's stance, stating that the drop in PISA scores is not attributable to the LOMLOE. He noted that the law promotes a competency-based educational model and that many factors beyond the legislation contribute to the current situation, including digital usage. De la Rosa mentioned that the government is implementing policies focused on reading and mathematics, expecting improvements in future assessments. According to the latest PISA report, Spanish students score half a school year below the OECD average in reading. De la Rosa reiterated that the ministry is considering improvements based on these findings, indicating that upcoming sectoral conferences will address policy enhancements. The inclusion of Catalonia’s data in the PISA report has been questioned due to its high exclusion rate of 23%, leading the Ministry to separate its results while noting that they should not be used for comparisons with other regions or previous reports. The OECD analyst Tue Halgreen highlighted the need to view Spain’s results within a broader international context, emphasizing that similar trends are observed in other countries. While some educators have raised concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on student work, others argue that multiple challenges, such as mobile phone usage, reduced attention spans, and pandemic-related disruptions, also play a role in declining academic standards. Teachers are exploring ways to reduce reliance on AI, promote in-person learning, and ensure that students develop essential literacy and critical thinking skills. However, there is ongoing debate over whether these issues can be addressed effectively without compromising access to digital tools.
The Spanish Ministry of Education has denied linking Spain's poor performance in the 2025 PISA results to the LOMLOE education law ('Celaá Law'), approved by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government in late 2020. Spanish students aged 15 scored their worst-ever results in reading, math, and science according to the OECD's PISA 2025 assessment, which evaluates students under the LOMLOE curriculum. Education Minister Milagros Tolón argued that the law promotes a competency-based approach aligned with PISA's methodology, emphasizing problem-solving and practical application of knowledge. She attributed the low reading comprehension to 'hasty and superficial reading habits' fostered by digital platforms. While acknowledging regional disparities, Tolón and Deputy Secretary of State Abelardo de la Rosa stressed that the decline is widespread and not attributable to the LOMLOE, citing broader factors like digital influence. They emphasized ongoing efforts to improve literacy and math through targeted policies.
Bias read (Center): While the article discusses a politically sensitive issue (education reform and PISA results), the framing remains balanced. The ministry defends the LOMLOE against criticism, but does not overtly attack opponents or promote ideological agendas. The emphasis is on explaining the causes of poor PISA
Why factuality (97): This article provides a detailed and accurate account of the Ministry of Education's stance, quoting Tolón extensively and attributing the PISA results to reading comprehension rather than the LOMLOE. All key points match those found in other sources, making this one of the most factually consistent
Why objectivity (88): The article remains mostly neutral in tone, presenting Tolón's views without injecting personal opinion. It does not attempt to frame the issue as a political controversy, maintaining a relatively objective stance.
La VanguardiaIndependentCenterFactual 96Objective 87
The Spanish Ministry of Education has denied linking Spain's poor performance in the 2025 PISA results to the LOMLOE education law (known as the Celaá Law). Minister Milagros Tolón emphasized that the law promotes a competency-based approach, which aligns with PISA's focus on problem-solving and practical application of knowledge. She attributed the low reading comprehension scores among Spanish students to digital habits such as rapid and shallow reading due to screen time. The ministry also noted that Catalonia's data were included but marked as non-comparable due to high exclusion rates. While some regions like Madrid and Castile and León showed improvement, the overall decline was described as widespread and not attributable to the new law.
Bias read (Center): While the article discusses a politically sensitive issue related to educational policy and government accountability, it presents the ministry's position without overtly endorsing or criticizing it. The framing remains balanced by quoting officials directly and presenting both the concerns over PIS
Why factuality (96): The article accurately reflects the Ministry of Education's position, citing Tolón's comments on the LOMLOE and linking the PISA results to reading comprehension. It also includes specific data about Spain's performance relative to the OECD average, which matches information presented in other artic
Why objectivity (87): The article maintains an objective tone overall, focusing on reporting the ministry's statements without taking sides. It briefly touches on regional disparities but does so in a neutral manner.
The PISA report has highlighted a significant educational decline in Andalucía, Spain, showing students scoring more than ten points below the national average in Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, and Science. In Reading Comprehension, Andalusian students scored 441 points, compared to the national average of 451, placing them seventh from the bottom nationally. Their scores in Mathematics were 442, significantly lower than the Spanish average of 457, while their Science score was 462, compared to 477 nationwide. These results place Andalucía well below the European Union averages for these subjects.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual data from the PISA report without overtly favoring any political side. It reports the findings objectively, using neutral language and focusing on statistical comparisons rather than attributing blame or offering commentary on policy failures or successes.
Why factuality (90): The article provides specific numerical data on Andalusia's performance in PISA 2025, placing it below the national average in Mathematics, Reading, and Science. These figures are consistent with general trends described in other articles, though they add localized detail not present elsewhere.
Why objectivity (80): The article uses emotionally charged language such as 'tremenda debacle educativa' and emphasizes Andalusia's poor performance, which may introduce a slight regional bias. While it presents factual data, the tone is somewhat critical of the region's educational outcomes.
The article discusses concerns over declining academic performance among secondary school students, particularly in linguistic skills and reading comprehension, as highlighted by PISA results. The author attributes this decline partly to the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in student work, which they argue undermines critical thinking and writing abilities. While acknowledging AI’s potential to save time, the author warns against over-reliance on it, emphasizing the importance of hands-on learning and creativity. The teacher outlines plans to reduce AI dependence by implementing shorter assignments, requiring evidence of student work, limiting screen time, and prioritizing in-person instruction. However, the author also notes that the decline is linked to broader issues such as mobile phone usage and a fast-paced society, suggesting that responsibility lies beyond just AI.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue of declining academic standards as a systemic problem influenced by technology and societal trends rather than individual failure. It criticizes the overuse of AI in education but does not advocate for outright banning it, instead proposing educational reforms. The tone,
Why factuality (85): While the article mentions the PISA results and links them to declining literacy skills, it introduces new elements such as the role of AI in student work, which are not mentioned in other articles. This adds some uncertainty regarding its alignment with the cross-source consensus, though the core c
Why objectivity (75): The article has a more subjective tone, using phrases like 'desalentador' and expressing skepticism about AI's impact on learning. It frames the issue through the lens of a teacher's experience, which may introduce bias even if it is based on real concerns.
ABC (España)IndependentCenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 85
The Spanish Ministry of Education has denied linking poor results in the 2025 PISA report to the LOMLOE education law, known as the 'Celaá Law.' Spanish students aged 15 scored their worst-ever performance in reading, math, and science according to OECD assessments based on the curriculum introduced by the LOMLOE. Education Minister Milagros Tolón emphasized that the law promotes a competency-based approach aligned with PISA evaluation methods, which focus on problem-solving and practical application of knowledge. She attributed the low reading comprehension skills among students to excessive screen time and superficial digital habits, suggesting this undermines academic performance. Tolón stressed the importance of improving comprehensive reading skills as foundational to all learning areas. The ministry also noted that while some regions like Madrid and Castile and León showed positive results, the overall decline cannot be blamed on the LOMLOE. Deputy Secretary of State Abelardo de la Rosa echoed these points, stating the drop in scores affects all countries and attributing it more to digital factors rather than the new educational framework.
Bias read (Center): While the article discusses a politically sensitive issue related to education policy and its impact on national test results, the framing remains balanced. It presents both the ministry’s defense of the LOMLOE and acknowledges potential external factors such as digital habits affecting student perf
Why factuality: no official source document/info detected
Why objectivity (85): The article presents the minister’s statements objectively but leans slightly toward her perspective by emphasizing her arguments without significant counterpoints. However, it avoids overtly biased language and sticks largely to reported facts.
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