What are the Reasons for the decline in students' achievement levels in subjects?

Reasons for the decline in students' achievement levels in subjects.

Introduction
Examination-related Factors
School-related Factors
Family-related Factors
Curriculum-related Factors
Student-related Factors
Conclusion & Practical Suggestions for Teachers & Students
References

1. Introduction

In recent years, educators, policymakers, parents and students worldwide are raising alarm at the declining achievement levels in many school subjects. Whether measured by test scores, classroom grades or national assessments, the trend is increasingly worrying. Behind this decline lie multiple interconnected factors: the nature of examinations, the conditions of schools, the family environment, the curriculum and the students themselves. In this article, we explore each of these five domains in turn — offering insight for both students and teachers on why achievement may be falling and what can be done about it.

2. Examination-Related Factors

Examinations play a central role in schooling. However, certain features of exam systems can hamper genuine student learning and achievement:

2.1 Exam-driven teaching (“teaching to the test”)

When schools and teachers focus primarily on preparing students for a specific high‐stakes exam, there is a risk that deeper learning, conceptual understanding, curiosity and critical thinking are sidelined. The curriculum may be narrowed to the exam’s format, leaving parts of the syllabus under‐taught.

2.2 Student pressure and anxiety

Exams create pressure. In many settings, the fear of failure or low grades prompts students either to cram superficially or disengage altogether. Some studies show that exam anxiety correlates with lower performance and less willingness to engage with difficult content.

For example, one study found that because teachers and students “abandon the curriculum” near the end of term to focus solely on exam-relevant items, broader subject knowledge suffers.

2.3 Inadequate alignment between exams and instruction

If the examination format, question types or content don’t align well with the learning experiences students have had in class, students may struggle despite having studied. For instance, if questions test high-level reasoning but instruction emphasised rote recall, achievement levels will likely suffer.

2.4 Over-emphasis on summative rather than formative assessment

A system heavily weighted toward one terminal exam may miss opportunities to build learning over time. Without frequent formative checkpoints, feedback loops are weaker and students may not correct misconceptions early.

For teachers and students: It’s important to see exams not only as “gatekeepers” but as part of a broader learning process. Teachers should build regular formative assessments, teach exam-strategy alongside content, and ensure that the exam doesn’t become the only focus.

3. School-Related Factors

The school environment, teacher quality, resources and organisation all strongly affect student achievement.

3.1 Teacher expertise, pedagogy and support

Quality of instruction is paramount. If teachers lack training in modern pedagogies, or cannot manage classrooms effectively, student learning suffers. One review indicated that teacher-related factors such as classroom management, use of modern methods and teacher competence significantly affect student performance.

For example, when teachers are overworked, lack resources or cannot differentiate instruction for diverse learners, student achievement declines.

3.2 School resources and learning environment

Physical infrastructure, class size, availability of textbooks or technology, library access, safe classroom climate — all these matter. Students in schools with inadequate resources often lag behind. For instance, a large-scale study found that family SES and school context (including resources) together influence achievement.

Examples: overcrowded classrooms, poorly equipped labs, noisy/disruptive settings.

3.3 School climate, safety and attendance

If students feel unsafe, unwelcome or unsupported in school, or if there is high absenteeism or truancy, learning declines. A study of primary teacher perspectives noted that student health, attendance and family instability were tied to performance.

Also, disrupted teaching (teacher shortages, frequent changes, large shifts) reduces consistency.

3.4 Curriculum implementation and support

Even a well-designed curriculum can fail if teachers are unsupported in implementation, if instruction lags behind or if resources don’t match. Some research shows that when schools abandon the intended curriculum to prioritise exam prep, students miss out on the full syllabus.

For teachers: Ensure ongoing professional development, build collaborative teacher teams, monitor resource adequacy, and work to improve student attendance and engagement.

4. Family-Related Factors

The home and family environment shape a student’s readiness, motivation and capacity to learn.

4.1 Socio-economic status (SES)

A large body of research links family income, parental education level, home learning resources (books, internet, quiet study space) to student outcomes. For example, one study found lower family income and larger family size predicted lower math achievement.

In contexts of poverty, students may need to work, face poor nutrition, have less stable home lives, or lack study resources.

4.2 Parental involvement and expectations

When parents engage with their children’s learning (help with homework, attend school meetings, show interest), student achievement flourishes. A survey found 46 % of teachers believed lack of family prioritisation of academics was a primary cause of learning gaps.

Conversely, parental indifference, low parental education or family turmoil (divorce, illness, death) correlate with lower student performance.

4.3 Home learning environment and study support

Even if parents are interested, if the home lacks a quiet place to study, reliable internet, or is distracted by chores, siblings, instability, then achievement suffers. From a “why kids fall behind” article: lack of study space, bullying, peer pressure, home stress all have impact.

Particularly in settings where children bear family responsibilities or have to work, academic focus is harder.

4.4 Family mobility, instability and parent absences

Frequent moves, parental migration (working abroad), family breakdown or illness reduce continuity of learning and support. For example, in Sri Lanka one report noted many students from disadvantaged families could not focus because a parent was abroad or absent.

This leads to disrupted schooling, lower motivation and gaps in foundational understanding.

Teachers and students: Families need to be engaged as partners in learning; teachers should reach out to parents, provide clear guidance, and help bridge resource gaps (e.g., after-school study spaces, mentoring).

5. Curriculum-Related Factors

Curriculum design, relevance, alignment with student needs and examination systems all feed into achievement.

5.1 Mis-alignment between curriculum and student needs or future occupations

If the curriculum is too abstract, too disconnected from students’ realities or future aspirations, motivation drops. One study found that for students themselves, curriculum-related factors (such as mismatch between abilities/values and curriculum) were among the top influences on academic failure.

If subjects appear irrelevant, students disengage.

5.2 Rigidity, overcrowding and pace of curriculum

A curriculum that attempts too much in too little time, or with little flexibility to adapt to varying student readiness, can overload learners, causing superficial learning and later decline. Some studies have pointed out that curriculum overload and lack of adaptation are major failure factors.

Teachers may struggle to cover all topics and give depth to many learners.

5.3 Curriculum implementation challenges and teacher abandonment

Research shows that teachers sometimes abandon or shorten the intended curriculum to concentrate on exam topics or because students are absent/unmotivated.

When this happens, students don’t experience full coverage and lose out on foundational knowledge.

5.4 Lack of coherence with pedagogy and assessment

If the curriculum, teaching methods and assessment are not aligned (for example, teaching is experiential but exams require recall; or curriculum expects deep thinking but classroom practice emphasises rote), student achievement suffers. One review indicated that curriculum and instructional mismatch is a big factor.

For teachers: Work to align your teaching methods with the curriculum goals and assessments; adapt pacing, use differentiated instruction and ensure students build strong foundations rather than only cover breadth.

6. Student-Related Factors

Finally, individual student characteristics, behaviours and motivations matter a lot in academic achievement.

6.1 Motivation, attitude and engagement

Students who believe learning matters, who are curious, who engage in class and persist with difficulty tend to achieve more. On the flip side, low motivation, negative attitudes toward school/subjects, “just doing the minimum” behaviours hinder achievement. A systematic review identified student-level factors (like self-confidence, engagement, value attributed to learning) as strong predictors.

Students may disengage if they don’t see relevance or if they struggle early and then avoid participation.

6.2 Prior knowledge, cognitive readiness and health

Students’ existing knowledge, foundational skills (reading, numeracy), cognitive skills (attention, memory) and health status (nutrition, sleep, physical well-being) influence how well they learn new content. A study pointed out that students with poor health or low mental age find following lessons difficult and thus their achievement drops.

Similarly, disruptions to early learning (as during the pandemic) widen gaps.

6.3 Study habits, self-regulation and time management

Poor study habits, lack of planning, excessive distractions (phones, social media), lack of self-regulation all impede learning. Although not always captured in formal studies, many teacher reports indicate that student behaviour, attendance, concentration and use of time affect achievement.

Teachers: Encourage students to develop effective study routines, minimise distractions, practise metacognitive skills (planning, monitoring, reviewing).

6.4 Peer influence, bullying and social issues

Students are influenced by their peers and social context. If a peer group values low effort, or if the student is bullied, has social/emotional challenges, or faces external stress (family issues, socio-economic strain), academic performance can drop. One resource lists home/peer/social issues among major reasons children fall behind.

Teachers and schools must monitor and support social-emotional wellbeing, not just cognitive instruction.

7. Conclusion & Practical Suggestions for Teachers & Students

In summary, the decline in student achievement levels is multifactorial. It is not due to any one cause but rather the interplay of exam systems, school contexts, family environments, curriculum design and student behaviours. For meaningful improvement:

For Teachers & Schools:

Use regular formative assessment, not just terminal exams, and align teaching with assessment.
Invest in teacher professional development, classroom management and resource support.
Improve school climate: make attendance, engagement, safety and student-well-being top priorities.
Collaborate with families: build parent-school partnerships, keep parents informed, offer after-school study spaces.
Review curriculum pacing and relevance: ensure it fits students’ backgrounds, provides depth, supports differentiation.
Promote student engagement: interactive pedagogy, relevance to real-life, challenge with support.

For Students:

Recognise your role: your motivation, study habits, attendance and engagement matter.
Build strong foundations: reading, numeracy, study skills matter long-term.
Develop good habits: time-management, self-regulation, minimise distractions.
Seek help early: if you struggle in a subject, talk to your teacher, peer tutor, or parent.
Work with your family: ask for a quiet study space, schedule study time, limit screen distractions.

By recognising that improvement requires action from multiple stakeholders—teachers, students, families, schools—we stand a better chance of reversing the downward trend and restoring strong achievement across subjects.

8. References

Study.com survey: “Nearly Half of Teachers Cite Lack of Family Prioritization of Academics as Top Cause for Learning Gaps.”
Large-Scale Assessments in Education: “The relative effect of student, family and school-related factors on math achievement by location of the school.”
Journal of Educational Research and Development: “Academic failure and students’ viewpoint … among six studied areas (family, learner, instructor, learning environment, curriculum and socioeconomic factors).”
Journal of Theoretical Educational Science: Eranil, A.K. “The family factor comes to the fore … in the SD at the primary level of TES.”
‘Why Kids Fall Behind At School: 21 Reasons & Expert Advice’, Healthy Young Minds.
“The Learning Crisis: Three Years After COVID-19” (pre-print).
“Determinants of academic achievement from the middle to secondary school education: A systematic review.”

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