The professor of Applied Economics at the University of Málaga, Óscar David Marcenaro, analyses Spain's decline in the PISA 2025 report and advocates for a flexible curriculum and less overprotection to improve academic performance.
The professor of Applied Economics at the University of Málaga (UMA) and specialist in Education Economics Óscar David Marcenaro argues that repeating a year does not raise a student's competency level and, instead, stigmatizes them. He states this after the results of the PISA 2025 report were released, which show a decline in Spain's reading, mathematics, and science skills compared to 2022, as reported by Diario Sur.
In the latest edition of the study, which evaluates 15 and 16-year-old students from 90 countries, 760,000 students participated, of which 30,000 were Spanish. Marcenaro has been researching the impact of socioeconomic background, family, and effort on academic performance with this data for years.
Regarding the Andalusian case, which again falls below the Spanish average in all three competencies, the professor points to a mix of educational and socioeconomic factors. The socioeconomic and cultural status index (ISEC) is crucial, particularly the educational level of parents and their economic status, which are often linked. "In certain environments, reading is more encouraged, and there is also greater attention and monitoring of studies," he explains.
"Does repeating make someone more competent? No. It has a stigmatizing effect: the student ends up with younger peers and feels they are not progressing"
Marcenaro believes it was appropriate to reduce repetition in Spain, where the rates were very high, but warns of an associated effect: grade inflation. Both in public and private schools, there is pressure for students to achieve good grades, and family pressure on schools has increased. "It seems that if a child does not get good grades, it represents a failure for the parents," he points out.
In contrast to models like the British one, where repetition rates are around 1% or 2%, the professor advocates for adapting curricula and enhancing each student's competencies. "We need a flexible curriculum that allows us to work on each student's strengths and weaknesses," he asserts. In his view, the Spanish curriculum is rigid precisely when flexibility and attention to diversity are needed.
The specialist also points to overprotection and the use of time. With an average of approximately one child per couple, parents tend to be more protective and believe that providing more things equates to more academic opportunities. "Sitting down to eat or have dinner together and discussing what concerns each other is an essential educational reinforcement," he emphasises. This habit, he says, is lost due to a lack of time and dual work responsibilities.
Regarding digital devices, Marcenaro distinguishes based on their use: for educational purposes, there is no data showing they reduce performance, but for TikTok, WhatsApp, or entertainment, they can distract and hinder concentration. Banning them in schools, as some countries have done, seems to him a short-term measure because children use them at home afterwards.
The UMA professor also links the loss of the culture of effort with changes in families and schools. It used to be common to have several siblings, share resources, and compete within the home; today, many children do not have that reference. And if passing is becoming easier due to grade inflation, he adds, students become complacent.
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