Thai students score poor marks in world survey
Dec 09, 2010
The scores of most Thai students are below international average in all subjects, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009.
By The Nation
Published on December 8, 2010
The international assessment, which surveyed the abilities of students in 65 economies around the world, found that nearly half Thai students did not have basic reading and science skills; and more than half lacked basic math skills.
In all, while the average international reading scores were at 492, average Thai students scored just 422 - ranking Thais in 50th place. As for science, the international average score reached 496, but Thailand's average stood at just 422 - ranking Thais in 48th place.
In mathematics, the international average touched 496 but the average scores among Thais were just 419, ranking them again in 50th place.
Thai students' scores have also dropped across the board when compared with PISA 2000 findings.
Only students at demonstration schools have displayed abilities on par with international standards, the PISA 2009 survey found. They earned 533 points in science, 526 points in reading, and 533 points in mathematics on average.
PISA was launched in 1999 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since then, four assessments have been carried out (in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009).
PISA assesses how far students nearing the end of compulsory education have acquired knowledge and skills essential for full participation in society. In all cycles, the domains of reading, mathematical and scientific literacy are covered not merely in terms of mastery of the school curriculum, but in terms of knowledge and skills needed in adult life. In the PISA 2003 cycle, an additional domain of problem solving was introduced to continue the examination of cross-curriculum competencies.
According to PISA 2009, the quality of teachers has a greater impact on students than physical infrastructure Even though Thai schools have become better equipped with computers and the Internet, students' overall performance has not improved.
Students in South Korea, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taipei performed much better than their Thai and Indonesian peers in the PISA 2009.
Thanks to The Nation