Flanders’ pupils are best in Europe at maths

The figures come from the latest Programme for International Student Assessment, a global study conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Flanders’ scores put it among the frontrunners in the world. For maths, Flemish 15-year-olds are the highest in Europe and fifth worldwide. In sciences, the region achieved 10th place globally and third in Europe, while in literacy, it is in ninth place in the world and fifth in Europe.

However, the study shows that 17% of the participating Flemish pupils don’t have the minimum capacity necessary to be independent in society. The gap between poorly performing students and high-scoring students in Flanders is growing.

“We see that children from disadvantaged families and children who don’t speak Dutch at home are more likely to achieve low scores,” Flemish education minister Hilde Crevits told public broadcaster VRT. “We have to focus on this group, for example by providing more hours of basic education in the first two years of secondary school.”

Crevits also stressed the need for an obligatory eindterm – a final requirement to graduate from secondary school – on basic knowledge of language, maths, finances and digitisation. This idea is part of the discussion about the modernisation of secondary education.

Photo courtesy HoGent