Thai students poor in math, science and reading

[webfact]

Thai students poor in math, science and reading
By English News



BANGKOK, Dec 5 - Thai students fare poorly in mathematics, science and reading, though their performance shows significant improvement since 2009, according to the latest Programme for International Assessment (PISA 2012) results.

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang held a briefing on the PISA 2012 result, surveyed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to evaluate the knowledge and skills of some 6,000 15-year olds across 65 countries worldwide. The evaluation takes place every three years. Thailand has participated in the evaluation since 2000.

The release on Tuesday shows that Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian students scored lower than average in mathematics, science and reading, while those from Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Macau performed rather high

Thailand is ranked 50th for mathematics, 48th for reading, and 50th for science.

Thailand’s mathematical performance is poorer than other Asian countries except Indonesia. The score has improved compared to previous years but half the students still in lower score range.

Thailand’s reading performance has improved from 2009, though the score is still lower than OECD average. The gap between highest and lowest score has narrowed down because those in better range read less.

Six countries in Asia are among the top ten for science. Thailand sees significant improvement since the last evaluation in 2009, though the overall performance is still below average. One third of Thai students have poor understanding of science.

Since 2009, overall performance of those in lower range has improved but still far from excellence. Those of higher range, however, scored rather poor especially in reading.

The minister said he would revise the ministry’s strategies, while setting up a working committee to work on the issue within two weeks. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-05

[webfact]

Thai kids fare a bit better in global test
The Nation



But Chaturon hails improvement in PISA scores as sign of progress

BANGKOK: -- THAI CHILDREN have fared better this year in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), but are still below the international average.

By country, Thailand ranked 50th among the 65 nations participating in PISA 2012.

PISA, a triennial international survey, evaluates education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students.

In PISA 2012, Thai children scored 444 in science, 441 in reading and 427 in mathematics.

The averages for PISA in those fields stood at 501, 496 and 494 respectively.

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang, however, heralded the latest PISA results as an upward sign for Thai education's quality.

"There's a clear improvement," he said.

In PISA 2009and PISA 2009+ (the Programme for International Students Assessment), Thai students' average scores were 421 in reading, 425 in science and 419 in mathematics.

Thailand first joined the PISA in 2000. The Thai children's scores in PISA 2003 and PISA 2006, however, were lower than the scores from the first time. By PISA 2009, however, the drop in Thai children's scores had hit bottom.

Now, the 2012 PISA shows Thai children's scores are up.

The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) said Thai students from demonstration schools and the Princess Chulabhorn's College schools had acquired good scores in the PISA 2012, reflecting that some Thai schools provided good quality education.

"This means we only have to extend such quality to all other schools," an IPST official said.

Dr Sunee Klainin, the manager of the PISA Thailand Project, reckoned that students from demonstration schools and the Princess Chulabhorn's College schools were in the Top Performance range.

"But their scores, on the overall, are lower than before," she said, expressing her concern.

She has detected a good sign in schools that have increased their educational services to higher levels to allow local children to further their education at the same place.

"The scores of students from these schools have jumped significantly," Sunee said.

The latest PISA results have served as a strong reminder that Thailand's education system still seriously needs much improvement, she said.

Half of Thai students, according to the PISA 2012, have less than minimum mathematics knowledge. About 33 and 34 per cent of Thai students have also failed to pass the minimum requirement in reading and science.

"We are still far from academic excellence," she said.

Sunee pointed out that Vietnamese children scored better than Thai children in PISA 2012, even though Vietnam participated in the international test for the first time.

In the PISA 2012, Vietnam ranked 17th.

Singapore was among the top 10 participating nations.

http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa2012results.htm

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/dec/03/pisaresultscountrybestreadingmathsscience


-- The Nation 2013-12-05

[PaullyW]

Piss-poor in reasoning/logic as well. But, who cares. The girls are stunning.

[Somtamnication]

And English. And social skills, and geography...and and and...

[hansgruber]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

[khunron13]

....and English.

[Spalpeen]

50th out of 65 isn't good.

[trogers]

50th out of 65 isn't good.

One who is poor in math cannot tell the difference...

[chooka]

East Asian countries top global league tables for educational performance

Asia's rising economic success has helped China's hi-tech corridor to take a clear lead in the latest OECD international education rankings.

The results of the OECD's programme for international student assessment – a triennial exam for 15-year-olds known as Pisa – show that China's Shanghai region easily tops the rest of the world in maths, reading and science.

Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea made up the rest of the top five for maths, followed by the Chinese island of Macao.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/east-asian-top-oecd-education-rankings

[Local Drunk]

A big part of the problem here is a systematic way of teaching that teaches students to seek approval rather than to think for themselves. It's akin to teaching a dog a few tricks and then rewarding it with a treat, and that becomes their model for life. What I mean by that is they are always looking for the reward of the biscuit, rather than learning how to cook their own.

[arthurwait]

Can't they practice their maths by counting Dads empty bottle tops ?

[Lupatria]

There are 7 family members selling the daily items in a shop nearby where I live. One graduate of a high school and one studied IT at an university. They work in the shop for 4 years now. None of them is capable to tell you the price of a pack of cigarettes (66 baht) and a can of Leo beer (35 baht) without a calculator. I have never seen any of them reading a newspaper. When it comes to "science" - they turn off the fridges over night to save electricity...

Would that qualify them to announce another hub?

[PaullyW]

East Asian countries top global league tables for educational performance

Asia's rising economic success has helped China's hi-tech corridor to take a clear lead in the latest OECD international education rankings.

The results of the OECD's programme for international student assessment – a triennial exam for 15-year-olds known as Pisa – show that China's Shanghai region easily tops the rest of the world in maths, reading and science.

Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea made up the rest of the top five for maths, followed by the Chinese island of Macao.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/east-asian-top-oecd-education-rankings

Not getting into the documented rampant test-taking corruption in places like China, Shanghai is merely a large city. At any rate, sort of a cat and mouse, I reckon. Countries go through phases in respect of education/achievement.

The East Asian countries (Japan and S. Korea, and, to lesser degree, Taiwan excluded) are required to pick up their performance in certain areas like those mentioned (science, math) to mature their economies. On the contrary, countries that industrialised and/or moved higher up the value food chain (international finance, for example, or oil/resources exploration) long ago (most Western countries) are then able to comfortably compete and enjoy the success for some time until competitors catch up. Some countries try to retain the lead, some let it dwindle away slowly, etc.

China will likely have extraordinary problems as their populace becomes more educated and wealthier. It has started already with social discontent.

Anyway, economic growth & development are but a piece, albeit an important one, of measuring a society/country as a whole. The Human Development Index (and projections) is a better measure and reflects most of our inherent biases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_Human_Development_Index_projections_of_the_United_Nations (they are just projections, but note almost none of these rising stars with higher math and science scores).

[paddyjenkins]

And the Thai education minister Dr Boonchong Somchai (Phd, Sakon Nakhon college of chicken rice) responded angrily to these claims of Thailand's poor educational levels by screaming and waving a traffic cone near some falang and shouting "Thailand number 1, you speak no good about Thailand I boxing you, you want die today, you not understand the culture Thailand"....

Edited December 5, 2013 by paddyjenkins

[janpoo]

But they are number one in: discipline, responsibility and respect. So what's the problem !!!!!!!!!!

[monty9]

At least Thailand is going up in the ratings,, USA lucky to make the top 20,,, and continues to trend down in the rankings. Not all countries participate in the PISA exams.

[PaullyW]

At least Thailand is going up in the ratings,, USA lucky to make the top 20,,, and continues to trend down in the rankings. Not all countries participate in the PISA exams.

Right, and despite them not performing well on this ranking, GDP (PPP) tells a more interesting story. Please don't compare the US (or Canada or Western Europe or OZ/NZ or even advanced Asian countries to -- OF ALL COUNTRIES -- Thailand as doing so is despicable.

Cheers

Edited December 5, 2013 by PaullyW

[Deez]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

[asdecas]

Slightly worse than the British then. Not bad!

[upena]

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

[Jasun]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

It was indeed taken from a cross section of local, international and selective schools in each country.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Curt1591]

Piss-poor in reasoning/logic as well. But, who cares. The girls are stunning.

A big part of the problem here is a systematic way of teaching that teaches students to seek approval rather than to think for themselves. It's akin to teaching a dog a few tricks and then rewarding it with a treat, and that becomes their model for life. What I mean by that is they are always looking for the reward of the biscuit, rather than learning how to cook their own.

Critical thinking is non-existent.

[CIHUAHUA]

People learn what is important to them. Teachers teach what they know. Water seeks its own level.

[newermonkey]

In other words Thais generally have a lack of understanding things that are logical.

[bangon04]

50th out of 65 isn't good.

One who is poor in math cannot tell the difference...

"Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang, however, heralded the latest PISA results as an upward sign for Thai education's quality.

"There's a clear improvement," he said."

The whole thing sounds a bit like a TAT press release.

Being poor in statistics / mathematics is a pre-requisite for a job as a government spokesman. Maybe this is the reason why so many exist.

[steelepulse]

Certainly no surprise in the headline.

[Asiantravel]

Just last night on ABC Australia television interviewed a Australian Year 10 student Ella Clarke, who is currently studying in central China. Her interview is in the web page below in which she says "The head teacher told the class that high school is about three things: eating, sleeping and learning," I can't imagine that kind of thinking in Thailand

"In a class of 70 you've got to compete to be number one."

Ms Clarke says Chinese students do endless hours of homework, in addition to nine hours of school a day.

"I go to the cafeteria and there’ll be a few kids that sit there and do maths homework while they’re eating their food," she said.

"They just don't stop; they literally breathe, eat and live education and learning. They honestly put so much effort and hard work into everything they do."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-04/chinese-and-australian-education-systems-compared/5135440?section=australianetworknews

Edited December 5, 2013 by Asiantravel

[belg]

do red farmers really need to read and count ? nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

all a waiste of time, just doing protests and the watching the rice grow

[stockholm1995]

There are 7 family members selling the daily items in a shop nearby where I live. One graduate of a high school and one studied IT at an university. They work in the shop for 4 years now. None of them is capable to tell you the price of a pack of cigarettes (66 baht) and a can of Leo beer (35 baht) without a calculator. I have never seen any of them reading a newspaper. When it comes to "science" - they turn off the fridges over night to save electricity...

Would that qualify them to announce another hub?

[petertucker48]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Go to shop buy something for ฿48 give young girl ฿100.

Girl gets calculator out to workout change !!!!!!!! <deleted>