DOHA: Students in Qatar have seen improvement in latest Programme for International Assessment results released yesterday but the country has slipped two places in the overall ranking.
The Programme for International Students Assessment (Pisa) combines assessment of reading, mathematics and scientific literacy for students aged 15 years.
Results released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which conducts PISA tests, show that Qatar has scored an average 388 for reading, 384 for maths and 376 for science.
It has scored 97 points for reading, 107 for maths and 110 for science. In 2009, Qatar scored 372, 379 and 368, respectively.
The country has also been able to reach the average improvement in maths performance of more than eight points per year.
“Students have performed well comparing to previous exams and it shows a symbolic improvement in their performances,” Dr Hamda Al Sulaiti, Director of the Evaluation Institute at the Supreme Education Council, said during an event to announce PISA results at Crowne Plaza.
“The improvement in results gives us a good indication of the education system. It indicates how we are progressing on the right direction. We will conduct model exams frequently to prepare students for the 2015 test.”
PISA is held on a three year cycle, focusing on one of three subject areas. Science was the focus in 2006, reading in 2009 and maths in 2012.
In 2006, 7,404 students from 135 schools participated and the number increased to 10,500 from 170 schools in 2009 and 11,474 from 155 schools.
More than 510,000 students from 65 countries took part in the 2012 PISA test, with a focus on maths — which OECD described as a strong predictor of participation in post-secondary education and future success.
China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Macau and Japan were among the top performing countries.
Students in China performed well in maths and the OECD report compared their scoring equivalent to nearly three years of schooling above most countries taking part in the tests.
The Peninsula
