Not the Leaning Tower of… but the PISA tests, run by the OECD to show improvements in member-states’ education systems. Newspapers like to refer to them if they’re bad and politicians like to refer to them if they’re good. But what are they and what did the 2022 results say about education systems? (Guess what, little and relatively low-income Estonia significantly outperformed the much-heralded Finland in each PISA ranking.)
According to their website, ‘PISA measures 15-year-olds’ ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges.’ And, ‘Around 690 000 students took the PISA assessment in 2022, representing about 29 million 15-year-olds from schools in 81 participating countries and economies.’
Here are some highlights from the general comments about the 2022 PISA results…
You can even see and take the tests for yourself at this link.
Because the IB Diploma is not a national curriculum or a national examination system, many rightly ask whether universities recognise it as an admission qualification. The short is ‘yes’. But let me say that another way; ‘YES’. And here’s some evidence…
Every three years, the OECD conducts the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a global assessment of 15-year-olds’ critical thinking in math, science, and reading across over 65 countries representing 90% of the world’s economies. Approximately 600,000 students undergo a two-hour test to evaluate their skills and knowledge, focusing on science, reading, and mathematics. Unlike traditional tests, PISA questions emphasize real-world problem-solving skills rather than rote memorization of facts.
Students completed two one-hour tests, each focusing on mathematics, reading or science, with varying combinations such as mathematics followed by reading or science followed by mathematics. Test included multiple-choice questions and constructed responses. Additionally, students completed a background questionnaire about personal information, attitudes, beliefs, home life and school experiences. School principals completed a questionnaire about school management, organization, and the learning environment.
Estonia’s government is doing a good job supporting its education system. It built `3 new high schools in the last 5 years and all students are provided with free (government/taxpayer funded) lunches in support of an Estonian value that all people matter. This recent article gives more substance to the ‘Estonia is doing exceptionally well at education’ argument, but let’s return to those PISA tests and results…
But… 22% of girls and 29% of boys in Estonia reported being the victim of bullying at least a few times a month; the OECD average was 20% girls and 21% boys). In Estonia, 73% of students attended schools facing challenges in providing instruction due to a lack of qualified staff. In 2018, it was just 44%. Students in schools with reported staff shortages generally scored lower in mathematics compared to those in schools with adequate staffing.
From 2012 to 2022, all of Estonia’s PISA scores followed a consistent trend: an initial rise followed by a decline in performance across all three subjects. Although the decline in mathematics and reading is recent, with stable or slightly improved results from 2012 to 2018, science saw a decline starting around 2012. The latest results closely resemble those from 2006 and 2009 in all subjects.
So, has Estonia solved the Education Issue? Perhaps not as much as The Guardian article would suggest but matters still look good for students. The Government seems motivated, building new schools and giving autonomy to Principals, but teachers are underpaid, and so Principals are facing an increasing struggling to employ qualified teachers.
I think, therefore IB 