PISA study results: an urgent call to action [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 14 December 2010
OECD research reveals our ‘island of saints and scholars’ has dropped to strictly average on the overall reading scale of 65 countries around the world.
The disappointing results of the PISA study released on December 7 were like salt on the wounds of an already smarting nation.
The research, which measures maths and literacy performance of students worldwide, found Ireland below the OECD average for maths and marginally above the OECD average for science and reading.
This is the fourth international survey of the achievement of 15-year-old students in reading literacy, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy carried out by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). Previous surveys took place in 2000, 2003 and 2006.
Results for Ireland of the PISA 2009 study included the following:
Reading
The study places Ireland among the "average" performing countries in reading literacy, with a mean score of 495.6 (OECD mean is 493.4). Ireland's rank, based on its mean score, is 17th out of 34 OECD countries and 21st of 65 OECD and partner countries.
Maths
The study places Ireland among the "below average” performing countries in mathematical literacy, with a mean score of 487.1 (OECD mean is 495.7). Ireland's rank, based on its mean score, is 26th of 34 OECD countries and 32nd of 65 participating countries.
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