Following the publication of the results of the PISA 2025 report, the question arises as to how to interpret them and explain the possible causes of the decline in reading and maths results, both internationally and in Spain. We have sought the views of experts in education, sociology, inequality, educational technology and pedagogy.
Summer holidays in Spanish schools are amongst the longest in Europe, and every year the debate resurfaces as to whether their length is appropriate or excessive. Do they affect the knowledge and skills acquired? Could they have an impact on well-being? Do they affect all children equally? How could the summer months be improved for children and teenagers?
Baby foods sold in pouches with spouts — intended to supplement nutritional intake from six months onwards — tend to resemble sugary drinks and milkshakes more than nutritious foods, according to an analysis of products from the UK published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, part of the BMJ group. The analysis shows that these products often have a higher sugar content and lower nutritional density than breast milk or infant formula, and frequently lack the texture needed to help babies learn to eat solid foods.
Pupils who set up a social media account in early adolescence appear to perform less well in subsequent standardised tests, according to a study published today in Nature Human Behaviour and based on a sample of 5,227 Italian pupils. The study is observational, so it does not allow for a causal link to be established between social media use and academic performance. Furthermore, it was carried out using questionnaires in which students had to recall and report on their use of these services when they were younger.
Air conditioning in buildings is necessary to combat the high temperatures of summers, which are becoming increasingly long and hot; however, it is not without controversy due to its energy consumption and environmental impact. Today, the WHO is presenting its new guidance on health and heat action plans, in which it acknowledges that air conditioning is problematic, while also emphasizing the need for vulnerable populations to have access to these systems. In a recent briefing organized by SMC Spain, we analyzed its role in the fight against global warming.
A study published in Nature estimates that more than 10 million children in countries across East and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia have experienced at least one form of online sexual exploitation and abuse, including harassment, the sharing of images without consent, and blackmail. This means that one in six children who use the internet is affected. The analysis is based on data from nearly 12,000 children aged 12 to 17 in 12 countries across Africa and Asia collected between 2020 and 2021, and warns that the actual number could be higher, as many of these incidents went unreported. When they did report incidents, minors primarily turned to informal channels, especially friends, rather than formal reporting mechanisms such as the police or helplines.
Exposure to neurotoxic metals poses the greatest risk to children’s brain development between the ages of six and nine months, according to an analysis of baby teeth from 489 children in Mexico. The study, published in Science Advances, identifies this window as a critical developmental stage during which exposure to these metals is linked to increased behavioural problems in childhood and smaller brain volume. The study includes boys and girls aged between 8 and 14 years old and uses their milk teeth as biomarkers to reconstruct concentrations of lead, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, lithium, strontium, barium and tin, from 20 weeks before birth to 40 weeks after.
A team from Canada conducted a review and meta-analysis of 42 studies on self-harm in children and young people from 12 high-income countries between 2000 and 2024. According to the available data, corresponding to more than 200 million people under 25 years of age, there was an annual increase of 2.5% in self-reported self-harm and 3.5% in medical visits for self-harm, particularly among girls. The results are published in JAMA Pediatrics.
The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced on Tuesday from Dubai that Spain will ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media and will adopt other measures to increase control over digital platforms and ensure that their executives are held accountable for violations. Sánchez made this announcement in his speech to the plenary session of the World Government Summit and announced that next week the government will approve a series of measures, including this ban.
A higher body mass index (BMI) correlates—regardless of age at menarche—with a lower risk of breast cancer, according to a meta-analysis based on genetic data from more than 56,000 women. The study, published in Science Advances, seeks to clarify previous seemingly contradictory findings: more body fat (measured by BMI) before puberty could have a protective effect against breast cancer; however, a higher BMI is also linked to earlier menarche, which is associated with an increased risk of developing this disease. The authors indicate that the prepubertal stage is a ‘critical window’ in which adiposity has the greatest influence on future breast cancer risk.