The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) report reveals an unprecedented global decline in teenagers’ math, reading, and science skills post-Covid-19. Notably, 15-year-olds in the UAE experienced a significant drop in reading proficiency, scoring an average of 417, a 14-point decline since 2018. Experts attribute this decline to increased screen time during the pandemic.

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal at Delhi Private School Dubai, emphasizes the generational decline in reading interest and urges proactive measures to reverse the trend. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai has been promoting reading across the curriculum, resulting in progress, with Dubai’s private schools ranking sixth globally for reading and literacy skills in May. Despite a slight decline in Pisa scores, educators in the UAE emphasize adaptability and resilience in the face of pandemic challenges, contrasting with more significant global learning losses.