Education Minister Stephen Lecce says Ontario students continue to show strong numbers in math, reading, and science.

Student assessment figures from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment have been released and Lecce says Ontario has maintained its strong international standing in those subjects, saying students across the province are the best educated in Canada and the world.

Lecce said in a statement that in all three categories, 15-year-olds in Ontario performed well above average – of 81 international jurisdictions, Ontario ranked second overall in reading internationally and nationally. The province’s results in science were among the top 10 internationally and second in Canada. Ontario’s math results were within the top 15 internationally and second nationally.

The findings affirm, Lecce says, the government’s investments and “back to basics focus” in math, reading, writing and STEM have helped maintain Ontario’s world-class education system. “It also clearly demonstrates Ontario’s focus on keeping children in stable classrooms and investing in reading, writing and math has helped to drive a strong recovery from the global pandemic compared to other international jurisdictions,” the statement read.