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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 22:44 04/12/2007 Exam shows Israel ranks 39th out of 57 in scholastic performance By Or Kashti, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: OECD, education, PISA  Students in Israel rank 39th out of 57 countries in scholastic performace, according to the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international exam administered in 2006. The results were released on Tuesday, the 47th day of the secondary school teachers' strike. On reading and mathematics exams specifically, the ranking fell to 40th place. Finland, Hong Kong and Canada top the list, while Azerbaijan, Qatar and Kyrgyzstan hold the last three spots. In 2000, the last year in which Israel participated in the exam, it ranked 33rd out of 41 countries. Advertisement The average Israeli student's score on the exam was 454 points, which falls below the average of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). In response to the scores, Education Minister Yuli Tamir said that the "exams demonstrate the ongoing failure of the education system." The results, she said, "strengthen the need for reform. We can't carry out cosmetic adjustments in education. If there is no real and comprehensive change - we'll stay in the same place." Tamir also said that the "biggest failure begins with the middle schools. We need to invest in them in a focused manner? we also need to think bravely about the matter of heterogeneity in the classroom. Because of heterogeneity, weaker and exceptional students suffer." PISA, a triennial test, is carried out by the OECD, and seeks to evaluate the sciences, reading and mathematical skills of 15-year-old students nearing the end of their mandatory education. It tests practical knowledge, social skills and the ability to solve complex problems demanding a combination of those fields. Each test administered examines all of the aforementioned subjects, but has a different focus. The 2006 exam, for which 4,600 students Israeli students sat, emphasized science literacy. Late last month, a test evaluating fourth graders' reading literacy revealed that Israeli students ranked in 31st place out of 45 states. The test, called The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), conducted by Boston College, assessed 215,000 fourth-grade students' ability to read both literary and informational text. Related articles: Court defers decision on back-to-work orders for striking teachers 'I have 40 kids. Not even the best teacher can pay attention to them all' Report: Wide gaps between test scores in Jewish, Arab schools Bookmark to del.icio.us Construction conflict Palestinians condemn Israel's plan to build new homes in disputed East Jerusalem. Nuclear freeze A new U.S. intelligence report maintains that Iran froze its nuclear program in 2003.   1.   As long as they are good soldiers.... 17:36  |  Fritz 04/12/07   2.   Frtzi,why do you need the Bundeswehr? Old habits die hard with 17:47  |  Absolute Sweden 04/12/07   3.   It`s the Arabs, stupid. 17:48  |  Ephraim 04/12/07   4.   YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR 17:52  |  Barry S. Roffman 04/12/07   5.   inside joke? 17:55  |  anon 04/12/07   6.   Actually our genetic lab recently designed a completely brainless 17:59  |  Andreas 04/12/07   7.   # 3 ephraim 18:02  |  Axel 04/12/07   8.   THESE STATS. ARE MEANINGLESS AND INACCURATE 18:08  |  Haim 04/12/07   9.   Axel....it`s called genetics 18:17  |  Will 04/12/07   10.   Occupation kills Israeli kids intelligence...... 18:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/12/07   11.   Haaretz fails math, 39 of 57 is actually an improvement. 18:35  |  Dr. L. Brnd 04/12/07   12.   No need to worry at all 19:16  |  D Hirod 04/12/07   13.   To Fritz, Andreas, Swiss 19:31  |  Ehud 04/12/07   14.   @Ehud 20:00  |  Sarah 04/12/07   15.   What do you expect from conservative governments? 20:16  |  Mark Lincoln 04/12/07   16.   #13 Ehud: This is about the next generation 20:25  |  Meir 04/12/07   17.   #10 - you are clueless about israel 20:40  |  david 04/12/07   18.   # 13 Ehud 20:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/12/07   19.   #3 Ephraim: Other countries also score better without minorities 20:55  |  Ori 04/12/07   20.   Meir you have no idea what you`re talking about 21:10  |  Israeli 04/12/07   21.   PIRLS test doesnt measure what makes Israelis tick 21:13  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 04/12/07   22.   Education no longer a priority in Israel 21:14  |  oBo 04/12/07   23.   Mark Lincoln Re Ron Paul 21:20  |  Danite 04/12/07   24.   exam 21:24  |  carolyn 04/12/07   25.   It was probably the social skills bit 21:38  |  Colin Wright 04/12/07   26.   # 17 david 22:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/12/07   27.   margie please 22:36  |  Danite 04/12/07   28.   Colin Wright 22:36  |  teacher 04/12/07   29.   teacher, I agree 23:16  |  megnoon 04/12/07   30.   from a teacher, it is not so complicated 23:28  |  david 04/12/07   31.   # 13 ehud 23:37  |  Axel 04/12/07   32.   Why? 23:49  |  Yosef 04/12/07   33.   # 21 margie 00:25  |  Axel 05/12/07   34.   # 9 will 00:44  |  Axel 05/12/07   35.   #29 13:02  |  ka 05/12/07   36.   to ka 20:23  |  Megnoon 05/12/07   37.   to ka 20:27  |  Megnoon 05/12/07

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