15-year-olds in Singapore have been credited as among the best performers in mathematics, reading and science — second only to Shanghai, China.
This is according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 conducted by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which saw the involvement of 65 countries.
Minister for Education Mr. Heng Swee Keat said on his Facebook page that he’s happy to share the news with Singapore. He also points out that the importance of the results lies not in the figures, but in the fact that students in the city-state are making improvements, and that this happy development proves Singapore is headed in the right direction.
PISA is conducted once every three years and tests students’ critical thinking in areas like reading, science and most of all mathematics.
It works on the basis that to do well, a student should not only rely on memorisation, but also real-world knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge accordingly.
Photo: Singapore students; AFP
