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 06 July 2008 01:07 BST

UK slides in teen skills league

Tuesday, 04 Dec 2007 13:01
Britain slips in international education league tables
Britain has fallen in international league tables ranking 15-year-olds in reading and maths skills.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says the UK has lost its place in the top ten for both maths and reading standards.

In 2000 British teenagers were ranked eighth by the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) in maths.

But data from the 2006 report says the UK has fallen to 18th, while reading standards among 15-year-olds have slipped from seventh to 13th over the same period.

Britain did not participate in the triennial survey in 2003. The country's science ranking also dropped, although it clung on to its top ten place.

South Korea and Finland top Pisa's league for reading standards, while Taiwan and Hong Kong join Finland in the corresponding table for maths skills.

Today's report says that whole learning outcomes in the OECD area remained flat in 2006, despite expenditure on education rising almost 40 per cent between 1995 and 2004.

More than 400,000 students were surveyed across 57 countries as part of the OECD study.

"Effective and innovative education policies open enormous opportunities for individuals," commented the organisation's secretary general Angel Gurria.

"They also underpin healthy and vibrant economies.

"In the highly competitive globalised economy of today, quality education is one of the most valuable assets that a society and an individual can have."

Commenting on the report, schools minister Jim Knight said: "This study shows that we have performed well compared to other countries – and the best English teenagers are amongst the brightest in the world."

Mr Knight went on to say: "While we are experiencing an upturn in the numbers of students studying science, mathematics and further mathematics, both industry and schools need to do more to be truly world class and enthuse students to learn about science.

"I would like employers to help make science more attractive by selling the range of careers options available for young people with science qualifications."End of story


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