OECD: German pupils achieve worst result ever in Pisa study
The OECD sees the consequences of the school closures in the corona pandemic as one reason - however, in Germany, as in many other countries, there is a trend towards poorer school performance that began even before the corona crisis. In 2001, the first Pisa study with German participation caused an educational shock due to the poor results, but this led to more efforts in education policy and subsequently to better Pisa results.
The last Pisa study was in 2018. At that time, the performance of German pupils in the areas of mathematics, science and reading literacy examined declined again. The decline in performance in the areas of mathematics and reading skills from 2018 to the tests in the new study was as great as the typical learning progress made by pupils aged around 15 during an entire school year, the study authors explained.
Around 690,000 students aged 15 from 81 countries took part in the 2022 Pisa test organized at schools for the new publication, with 6116 participants in Germany. In the areas of mathematics and reading literacy, the performance of German pupils was close to the average of the OECD countries, while in the area of science it was slightly higher.
Pupils from Singapore were well ahead in all three areas of competence tested. Overall, Asian countries and economies performed best, with Japan, South Korea and separately considered Chinese regions also among the best performers in all areas. From Europe, only the students from Estonia achieved results in all three areas that put them in the top group.
Read also:
The recent Pisa study conducted by the OECD in 2022 revealed that German students had the worst result in mathematics among all participating countries, continuing a trends of declining performance that started before the Corona pandemic. Despite their struggles in mathematics, German pupils managed to maintain an average performance in reading literacy and even slightly surpassed the average in science.
In the 2018 Pisa study, German students' performance in mathematics, science, and reading literacy all decreased. The decline in mathematics and reading competence was as significant as what a typical student would learn in a full year by the end of 15th grade.
The recent Pisa study, which evaluated over 690,000 students from 81 countries, found that German pupils performed closely to the OECD average in mathematics and reading literacy but excelled slightly in the area of science. This time, 6116 German students participated in the tests.
Countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Chinese regions consistently ranked at the top of the 2022 Pisa study in all three competency areas. Europe saw only Estonian students earn results that placed them in the top category for mathematics, science, and reading literacy.
In response to the harshest results yet in the Pisa study, German education authorities are now addressing the teaching methods and performance expectations in schools in an attempt to improve future results.
The Coronavirus pandemic has been identified as contributing to the poor results of the Pisa study by the OECD, along with other factors such as decreased resources and less effective teaching methods. The OECD also emphasized the importance of improving mathematics education in Germany to better prepare students for future challenges.
While the results of the Pisa study may be concerning for the German educational sector, it provides valuable insight into the areas that need improvement in order to reach lower performing countries and keep up with the international competition.
In conclusion, as Germany grapples with the impact of the Corona pandemic on education, the recent Pisa study has shown that German students show signs of improvement in science but struggle in mathematics and reading competence. The low results in mathematics for German students underscores the need for improved education policies and resources to help students reach their full potential and play a strong role in the global economy.
Source: www.stern.de
