Results of final 9th-grade exams confirm convergence of the Azores with national average - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Educação, Cultura e Desporto

The results of the final 9th-grade exams confirm a consistent trend of convergence between the regional average in the Azores and the national average in Portuguese and Math. In fact, the Azores achieved their best results in Math since 2012.

In the case of Math, the Region has increased its regional average for the fourth consecutive year, from 35.7% in 2022 to 45.5% in 2025, and in the case of Portuguese, from 49.4% in 2022 to 55% in 2025, while the national average for Portuguese currently stands at 58% and for mathematics at 51.8%.

These results reflect positive developments. They are the result of the investment in education in the Azores, which has already been mirrored in the results achieved by Azorean students in international studies, such as TIMMs.

In the case of ModA tests, as this is the first time they have been implemented nationwide, the Region has no basis for comparison with previous years. Although the Azores show results below the national averages in Portuguese and Math, the latter stands out with a greater difference regarding the national average (five percentage points less in the 4th grade and 3.9 percentage points less in the 6th grade). In turn, English achieved a positive average in the 4th grade, with a score of 54.8%.

Still, regarding the ModA tests, it is also important to emphasise the text comprehension and production components, with regional results very close to the national averages. In some Azorean municipalities, specifically Calheta, Lajes do Pico, Santa Cruz das Flores, and Corvo, the results aligned with the national averages.

After the school reports on external learning assessments are delivered, the Regional Directorate for Education and Educational Administration will request each school to analyse these results and develop strategies. The latter will then be reviewed by the Coordinating Council of the Regional Education System.

It should be noted that the Regional Secretariat for Education, Culture and Sport has promoted a series of projects for elementary school with a view to early intervention in promoting school success, namely the development of the "AaZ - Read Better, Know More" and "Computational Thinking" programmes.