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RI still fares poorly in math and science, survey shows
While Indonesian students have made progress in reading proficiency, there is room for improvement in math and science proficiency, the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows
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hile Indonesian students have made progress in reading proficiency, there is room for improvement in math and science proficiency, the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows.
PISA is a triennial test that assesses the extent to which point 15-year-old students of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries are able to analyze complex problems.
The 2009 PISA results show that Indonesia has a score of 402 for reading proficiency, an increase from the 393 score recorded in the 2006 PISA. In terms of rank, however, Indonesia came in at 57th place out of 65 countries, compared to the 2006 result that was 49th out of 57 countries, still eight ranks from the bottom.
Indonesia’s scores for math and science in the 2009 PISA declined compared to the 2006 figures, from 391 to 371 and 393 to 383 respectively.
Indonesian students reached 61st place out of 65 countries for math proficiency, four ranks from the bottom, while in 2006 Indonesia was in 50th out of 57 countries, seven ranks from the bottom. In science proficiency, Indonesia placed 60th out of 65 countries, while in 2006 Indonesia was 50th out of 57 countries.
The National Education Ministry’s Director General of Elementary and Secondary Education Management Suyanto did not return calls from The Jakarta Post to comment on the latest OECD report.
Nor did the ministry’s spokesman, Sukemi, respond to the Post’s calls.
Education observer Utomo Dananjaya said the low result of PISA showed the government’s low interest in education.
The government allocated 20 percent of the state budget for education, which Utomo said was not enough.
He added that the education system should also follow the guidelines in the National Education System Law that emphasized education should switch from studying to learning, from creating skilled manpower to creating cultured people.
In the 2009 PISA, other Southeast Asian countries fared better than Indonesia. For example, Singapore got 526 points and was in fifth place for reading, 562 points and second rank for math, and 542 points and fourth rank for science. Meanwhile, Thailand got 421 points and was in 50th place for reading, 419 points and 50th place for math, and 425 points and 49th place for science.
China’s Shanghai province took the PISA test for the first time and topped the tables for proficiency in all three subjects. More than one-quarter of Shanghai’s 15 year olds demonstrated advanced mathematical thinking skills to solve complex problems, compared to an OECD average of just 3 percent.
The 2009 PISA focused more on reading proficiency. The assessment revealed that girls read better than boys in very country, by an average of 39 points, the equivalent to one year of schooling.
