Unprecedented decline
Every three years, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) administers its Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading as a means of evaluating the global education system in order to decipher its gains and failings and the areas where more work needs to be done. Although the Paris-based OECD has a membership of 38 mostly European countries to date, PISA is open to students worldwide. The last assessment, conducted between July and November 2022, saw the participation of some 700,000 students from 81 countries. Among them were several in the Latin American and Caribbean region, including Jamaica.
The full PISA results, which included the examinations and a survey randomly given to about one percent of the students, were made available in December last year. They showed what was referred to as an “unprecedented decline” across more than half of the countries, with reading falling by ten points and maths by 15 points overall.
A notable exception was Singapore, whose students outclassed their global peers with outstanding scores in all three subject areas. Further, students in Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea outperformed in maths and science, while those in Estonia and Canada had solid scores. According to the results, students in Ireland, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan earned top marks in reading.
The OECD said that although the Covid-19 pandemic has had some impact on global education, it clearly was not completely to blame for the decline among teenagers, as evidenced by the countries that still did very well. In fact, a look back at previous PISA scores (OECD began the tests in 2000) revealed a steady decline in reading and science performances over the last ten years.
The issue of what contributes the most to poor performances by students tends to be hotly debated. Usually the brunt of the blame is thrown at teachers, just as they receive accolades when their pupils excel. In reality, both teachers and students give their best when the education systems in which they operate are supportive.
As a result, wealthy countries do not automatically generate better performances. The 2022 PISA test bears this out. As a case in point, Jamaica, with a gross domestic product (GDP)
of US$14.6 billion (2021) came in overall at number 61 out of the 81 countries where students were tested. Saudi Arabia on the other hand, with a GDP of US$833.5 billion (2021) had scores that placed it at number 64. Among other things, the latter country’s investment in girls’ education in particular has been lukewarm over the years, which is why, though very wealthy, it was closer to the bottom of the list.
One wonders how Guyana might score on this global test. The current situation does not point to a good result. There is a tendency here to place more focus on the minority of students who excel. A few ‘top’ students, however, do not indicate general excellence in the education system, only that those children strove to do their best despite the odds and challenges they faced.
The PISA iterates the clear nexus between an overall system that is conducive to learning and solid student performances. This translates to providing
students with the best resources possible in the classroom. This includes teachers with good morale who feel valued, not simply because of pay increases, though this would help tremendously, but because there is attention to their well-being. Better student to teacher ratios, clean and healthy work environments, and attention to grievances are but a few of the improvements that spring readily to mind.
Unfortunately, Guyana’s teachers will not be heard any time soon given that talks between their union and the Ministry of Education have broken down. With no quarter being given, education is surely headed for more troubled waters.