Last week we looked at Australia’s OECD world ranking of mathematics performance by Australian students aged 15.

PISA

The Program for International Student Assessment, (PISA), ranks Australia 25 th out of 72 countries with Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan filling the top 4 positions. It is interesting to compare the educational experiences of students in those countries in comparison to Australia.

Comparison of Education

I have been fortunate to visit schools in three of those countries, the exception is Taiwan, and the first impression is the respect for teachers in the school and the classroom discipline in the teaching situation. In Finland, PISA ranked sixth and the top ranked European country, the teaching profession is highly respected and attracts the best and brightest students from schools. Contrast Australia where very few top class students become teachers, opting for medicine, law, engineering, accountancy or one of the more ‘respected’ professions. Wage expectation may be a factor in those decisions.

Aside from the school aspect, in each of the top four nations after school tuition centres flourish. NOVA, a private tuition centre in Japan became so powerful that the company completely sponsored the 1964 Olympics. Students in South Korea attend after school tuition classes most days of the week because they realise the benefits that accrue from such attendance.

• In Singapore 60 per cent of high school, and 80 per cent of primary school age students receive private tuition.
• 40 per cent of pre-schoolers receive private tuition.

See: Behind Singapore’s PISA rankings success and why other countries may not want to join the race

Another difference is that all high schools are selective. Singapore is a poor country in terms of its natural resources, energy, minerals etc., yet it is ranked 10 th on GDP per Capita, well ahead of Australia with all its resources but is yet ranked 18 on GDP per Capita.

Singapore’s wealth is built on its education system, it’s time for politicians in Australia to tackle our looming education crises, instead of the rhetoric just saying that our education policies are structured around science and innovation. The evidence is otherwise.

See: The Weekender ( Page 49)