Advertise on podcast: Top Class: The OECD Education Policy Podcast | Teachers, PISA, Students

Average student performance in reading and mathematics has sharply dropped in many countries, according to the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), while science performance is relatively stable. More than 760,000 15-year-old students took the PISA test last year in 91 countries and economies. Why have there been such large drops in performance? And how are digital technologies and artificial intelligence impacting the situation? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the findings and the state of global education.

Across many education systems, schools are facing recruitment challenges, evolving career expectations, and increasingly diverse student needs. In response, more systems are opening doors to people with outside experience. In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford explores the opportunities and challenges for second-career teachers. He is joined by Nicole Daley, a Biology Teacher at Boston’s John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics & Science, who previously worked as a public health worker for city and state level government, and Hilary Goldberg, Head of Theodor Herzl Primary School in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, who left teaching for a career in sales and management before returning to education and school leadership. They discuss their experience of becoming second-career teachers and what can be done to support this growing share of the workforce. If you want to learn more about this subject check out the OECD paper: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/a-second-career-in-teaching_37722003-en.html

What makes a fair exam? It’s a question that has grown in significance as upper secondary certificates play an ever more pivotal role in students’ lives. They are a passport to higher education, training and employment at a time when institutions and employers are often choosing from larger pools of candidates than ever before. In this episode of Top Class, the OECD’s Chris Moore is joined by Ruth Johnson, Director of Assessment at Cambridge OCR, one of the United Kingdom’s leading exam boards. She discusses how to keep exams inclusive, why she believes they remain the fairest way of testing students’ abilities - and the challenges facing assessors in the age of artificial intelligence. Find out more in the OECD’s report The Theory and Practice of Upper Secondary Certification: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-theory-and-practice-of-upper-secondary-certification_b3fea5ba-en.html

What makes a great teacher? Beyond subject expertise, effective teaching depends on a strong understanding of how students learn, what motivates them and how to create classrooms where every learner can thrive. A new OECD report reveals significant differences between countries in teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge - the knowledge that helps teachers explain concepts clearly, anticipate misconceptions, engage students and support learning at a high level. The OECD’s Teacher Knowledge Survey explores what teachers know about learning itself and why these skills are so closely linked to student success. In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks with Linda Darling-Hammond, Chief Knowledge Officer at the Learning Policy Institute, and Heewoon Bae, OECD policy analyst, about the survey’s findings and what policymakers can do to strengthen teacher knowledge and improve outcomes for students. Read the Teacher Knowledge Survey here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/results-from-the-teacher-knowledge-survey_5542e88a-en.html

What does it take to lead one of the world’s highest-performing education systems? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks with Estonia’s Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas. Drawing on Estonia’s experience with digital learning, teacher professionalism and long-term student well-being, Kallas reflects on the pressures facing education leaders today, including rapid technological change and teacher shortages. The conversation also explores how Estonia has sustained strong outcomes over time, which lessons may (and may not) translate to other countries and the recent International Summit on the Teaching Profession, which was held in Tallinn. You can find the OECD’s latest publication for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession – Reimagining Teaching in an Accelerating World – here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/international-summit-on-the-teaching-profession_23127090.html

Working with young children can be a tough job, so what can be done to ensure staff want to stay in their jobs? This episode of Top Class delves into the world of creches, kindergartens and nurseries. While most early childhood education and care staff report high job satisfaction, around half don’t feel valued by society, according to the OECD’s TALIS Starting Strong survey. OECD Editor Duncan Crawford is joined by two experts to discuss workplace conditions, societal recognition and the policies that can strengthen staff retention in the sector. • Elizabeth Shuey, OECD analyst and co-author of the Starting Strong survey • Anne-Marie Brooks, Assistant Secretary at Ireland’s Department of Children, Disability and Equality You can learn more insights about this subject by viewing the OECD’s Insights and Interpretations brochure: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/support-materials/2025/12/results-from-talis-starting-strong-2024_763cbc56/talis3s2024-insights-interpretations.pdf And check out the full TALIS Starting Strong survey results here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/results-from-talis-starting-strong-2024_20af08c0-en.html

Can alternative pathways into teaching help tackle teacher shortages and strengthen the profession? With traditional teacher preparation programmes struggling to keep pace with demand in some countries, especially in underserved areas, some are turning to non-traditional routes to attract new talent. Drawing on insights from the OECD paper Alternative Pathways into Teaching: Broadening Access and Expanding Diversity, this episode of Top Class takes a close look at one model - Nexus, an Australian programme that allows participants to earn a teaching qualification while working in schools. Professors Joanna Barbousas and Miriam Tanti from La Trobe University in Melbourne, who work on the Nexus programme, as well as Barbara O’Brien, Principal of Greater Shepparton Secondary College in Victoria, who has welcomed Nexus trainee teachers into her school, explain how alternative pathways work in practice and why others should consider them.

Generative Artificial Intelligence is rapidly emerging as one of the most debated forces in education today. Tools such as ChatGPT and Claude are widely predicted to reshape how students learn and how teachers teach. Advocates argue that GenAI could democratise access to high quality education, offering personalised learning at scale while reducing administrative burdens for educators. Critics warn of significant risks, from undermining student learning to eroding teacher autonomy. In this episode of Top Class, we explore the latest emerging evidence shared in the OECD’s Digital Education Outlook 2026. Senior OECD Analyst Stéphan Vincent Lancrin speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the latest research, the potential and the risks of GenAI, and what this means for the future of teaching and learning.

Nine in ten teachers are satisfied with their jobs, yet one in five report a lot of stress. Just two of the findings from the new OECD TALIS report, the largest survey of teachers and school leaders in the world. TALIS captured the perspectives of 280,000 teachers across over 50 education systems. In this episode of Top Class, OECD project manager Ruochen Li, who led the TALIS team, and Antonia Wulff, Director of Research, Policy and Advocacy at Education International, tell the OECD’s Duncan Crawford about the findings.

A new OECD report reveals that nearly 40% of 15-year-olds are uncertain about their future careers. Alarmingly, only one in three students has attended a job fair or completed an internship, and over 20% hold unrealistic job aspirations. These findings come from The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation, a comprehensive look at how well young people are being equipped for the world of work. In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks with the report’s lead author, Anthony Mann, to unpack the data and explore what needs to change. You can read the full report here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-state-of-global-teenage-career-preparation_d5f8e3f2-en.html

More people are getting degrees than ever before, but family background has a big influence on whether people pursue university or another form of tertiary education. That’s one of the key findings of this year’s OECD report Education at a Glance. The report is the authoritative source of information on the state of education worldwide, with data on the structure, financing and performance of education systems across OECD countries and partner economies. In this edition of Top Class, the OECD’s Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the main findings.

Despite Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine is rewriting the future of its education system. The New Ukrainian School reform programme is a bold initiative to move away from Soviet-era style schooling and to instead embrace a more modern, student-centred approach. It was launched in 2016, two years after Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after months of mass demonstrations. In this episode of Top Class, former Minister of Education and Science Liliia Hrynevych (2016–2019) joins OECD Editor Duncan Crawford to discuss Ukraine's reform journey. She talks about the country's ambitions, the challenges and why even amidst conflict, Ukraine remains committed to transforming how it teaches the next generation.

How to improve Ukraine’s education system during a time of war was the main topic of discussion at an education festival in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv last month. More than 2,000 Ukrainian teachers gathered for the Teachers of the Future 2025 festival to discuss efforts to reshape schools across the country. Despite Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, Ukrainian policymakers are pushing forward with reforms to tailor learning for all students so they can fulfil their full potential. The New Ukrainian School reforms, launched in 2016, focus on developing key life competencies, empowering teachers and fostering critical thinking and creativity in pupils. In this episode of Top Class, the OECD’s Duncan Crawford spoke to policymakers, teachers and students at the festival about the impact of the reforms.

Employers are struggling to find skilled workers. How can we fix the job skills gap? Apprenticeships are touted as one possible solution. They combine on-the-job training with classroom learning, allowing employers to recruit and train people to meet their skills needs. According to the OECD, there are huge opportunities for apprenticeships to expand into a wider range of sectors. But many countries are failing to take full advantage of them. In this episode of Top Class, Doug Walton, an Associate at research and consulting firm Abt Global, and Dr. Bryan Coyne from the Faculty of Business & Social Sciences at Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, Ireland, discuss how people and businesses can make the most of apprenticeships. Learn more by reading the latest research shared at the 2025 joint Cedefop-OECD symposium: New fields for apprenticeship: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events/2025-joint-cedefop-oecd-symposium-new-fields-apprenticeship

The early years of a child's life are crucial for their development. Falling behind early can mean never catching up. How can countries ensure lasting benefits from early childhood education and care? In this episode of Top Class, Stephanie Jones, the Gerald S. Lesser Professor in Early Child Development at Harvard University, and Professor Henrik Zachrisson from Centre for Research and Equality in Education at Oslo University, discuss with OECD Editor Duncan Crawford ideas to ensure that all young children get lasting benefits from early education.