Thai students score poor marks in world survey

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EDUCATION

Thai students score poor marks in world survey
The Nation 2010-12-08

The scores of most Thai students are below international average in all subjects, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009.

The international assessment, which surveyed the abilities of students in 65 economies around the world, found that nearly half Thai students did not have basic reading and science skills; and more than half lacked basic math skills.

In all, while the average international reading scores were at 492, average Thai students scored just 422 - ranking Thais in 50th place. As for science, the international average score reached 496, but Thailand's average stood at just 422 - ranking Thais in 48th place.

In mathematics, the international average touched 496 but the average scores among Thais were just 419, ranking them again in 50th place.

Thai students' scores have also dropped across the board when compared with PISA 2000 findings.

Only students at demonstration schools have displayed abilities on par with international standards, the PISA 2009 survey found. They earned 533 points in science, 526 points in reading, and 533 points in mathematics on average.

PISA was launched in 1999 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since then, four assessments have been carried out (in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009).

PISA assesses how far students nearing the end of compulsory education have acquired knowledge and skills essential for full participation in society. In all cycles, the domains of reading, mathematical and scientific literacy are covered not merely in terms of mastery of the school curriculum, but in terms of knowledge and skills needed in adult life. In the PISA 2003 cycle, an additional domain of problem solving was introduced to continue the examination of cross-curriculum competencies.

According to PISA 2009, the quality of teachers has a greater impact on students than physical infrastructure Even though Thai schools have become better equipped with computers and the Internet, students' overall performance has not improved.

Students in South Korea, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taipei performed much better than their Thai and Indonesian peers in the PISA 2009.

[isanbirder]

You can give them all the gadgets, but this will achieve nothing without well-trained teachers.  Thai scores have been low for years, but nobody does anything about it.  BTW, if you supply lots of computers, you can get a good kickback;  Thai education is being sold out for the profit of a few politicians and probably civil servants.

[boloa]

RANK - NATION - AVERAGE IQ
1 Hong Kong 107
2 South Korea 106
3 Japan 105
4 Taiwan 104
5 Singapore 103
6 Austria 102
6 Germany 102
6 Italy 102
6 Netherlands 102
10 Sweden 101
10 Switzerland 101
12 Belgium 100
12 China 100
12 New Zealand 100
12 United Kingdom 100
16 Hungary 99
16 Poland 99
18 Australia 98
18 Denmark 98
18 France 98
18 Norway 98
18 United States 98
23 Canada 97
23 Czech Republic 97
23 Finland 97
23 Spain 97
27 Argentina 96
27 Russia 96
27 Slovakia 96
27 Uruguay 96
31 Portugal 95
31 Slovenia 95
33 Israel 94
33 Romania 94
35 Bulgaria 93
35 Ireland 93
37 Greece 92
37 Malaysia 92
39 Thailand 91
40 Croatia 90
40 Peru 90
40 Turkey 90
43 Colombia 89
43 Indonesia 89
43 Suriname 89
46 Brazil 87
46 Iraq 87
46 Mexico 87
46 Samoa 87
46 Tonga 87
51 Lebanon 86
51 Philippines 86
53 Cuba 85
53 Morocco 85
55 Fiji 84
55 Iran 84
55 Marshall Islands 84
55 Puerto Rico 84
59 Egypt 83
60 India 81
61 Ecuador 80
62 Guatemala 79
63 Barbados 78
63 Nepal 78
63 Qatar 78
66 Zambia 77
67 Congo 73
67 Uganda 73
69 Jamaica 72
69 Kenya 72
69 South Africa 72
69 Sudan 72
69 Tanzania 72
74 Ghana 71
75 Nigeria 67
76 Guinea 66
76 Zimbabwe 66
78 Democratic Republic of the Congo 65
79 Sierra Leone 64
80 Ethiopia 63
81 Equatorial Guinea 59

British at 12th better than I was hoping  but at least we aren't as thick as the Yanks,Aussies and the Thais.... 

But Go Asia..

[isanbirder]

Yes, Alan, but the first survey was based on educational standards, and the second on I.Q.   They're not at all the same thing.   I doubt whether the I.Q of Thais is really that low, though... although I have my doubts after coming to live in Isan.

[boloa]

I doubt whether the I.Q of Thais is really that low, though... although I have my doubts after coming to live in Isan.

Yes, sometime I feel as though I am living in  Equatorial Guinea.!!!!!