Pisa results show progress among students, Ministry of Education says

About two thirds of UAE schools in the Programme for International Student Assessment showed progress in mathematics, the Ministry of Education said yesterday.

The 7.5 point rise in average maths scores was praised as “remarkable” by the government, that said it remains committed to entering the top 20 in the next round of assessments — due in 2021.

The UAE has participated in the rankings since 2009 and they are taken seriously by the government. Last year, pupils across the UAE sat “mock” Pisa tests to prepare them for the assessments.

More than 19,000 15 year olds sat for the exams, one of the highest figures of the 79 countries and territories included in the rankings. A total 59,275 15 year olds in the UAE took the test at the time, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, indicating that almost a third took part.

“The results showed that the pupils in both public and private schools across the UAE achieved remarkable progress in mathematics skills, advancing eight points on the scale of assessment over the previous edition,” the Ministry of Education, reacting to the figures, said.

“Some 49 per cent of the schools made progress in reading skills and 47 per cent in science skills. The schools achieved a progress of 62 per cent in mathematics.

“The assessment is particularly important because it is included in the National Agenda, which outlines the future of the UAE and the broad lines of its general targets, under which the UAE will be among Pisa’s top 20 countries in the world by 2021.”