South Korea ranks 2nd to 4th in the world for elementary and junior high school students' academic achievement in math and science... behind Singapore and Taiwan

South Korea's primary and secondary school students' academic achievement in math and science was ranked second to fourth in the world, with most results ranking the country behind Singapore and Taiwan.
On the 4th, the Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation announced the results of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)'s "2023 International Comparative Study of Mathematics and Science Achievement (T
The IEA has been comparing the achievement levels of students in mathematics and science from the fourth grade of elementary school and the second grade of junior high school every four years since 1995.
In the 2023 assessment, 359,098 students from 59 countries participated in the primary school assessment, and 297,262 students from 44 countries participated in the secondary school assessment.
The mathematics achievement score for fourth graders in elementary school was 594 points, ranking third after Singapore (615 points) and Taiwan (607 points).
Hong Kong (594 points) and Japan (591 points) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. In terms of science achievement for fourth graders, South Korea (583 points) came in second, behind Singapore (607 points).
This was followed by Taiwan (579 points), Turkey (570 points), the UK (556 points), and Japan (555 points). In the previous survey, Korean 4th graders ranked 4th in math and 2nd in science.
In second-grade mathematics, South Korea ranked third (598 points), behind Singapore (605 points) and Taiwan (602 points). Japan (595 points) and Hong Kong (575 points) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
In science, South Korea ranked fourth behind Singapore (606 points), Taiwan (572 points), and Japan (557 points). Following South Korea were the UK (531 points) and Finland (531 points).
In the previous survey, Korean middle school students ranked 3rd in math and 4th in science. Korea surpassed the international average in both math and science for both elementary and middle school students. Elementary school math was 92 points below the international average of 503 points, and science was 43 points below the international average.
The score was 89 points higher than the average (494 points). In particular, junior high school mathematics (596 points) was 118 points higher than the international average (478 points). Science (545 points) also achieved a score of 67 points higher than the average.
However, South Korea's scores have been declining since peaking in 2015. Elementary school mathematics scores have fallen from 608 points in 2015 to 600 points in 2019 and 594 points in 2023. Science scores have fallen from 608 points in 2015 to 600 points in 2019 and 594 points in 2023.
The score for middle school mathematics has gradually declined from 613 points in 2011 to 596 points in 2023.
After peaking at 561 points, it plummeted to 545 points in 2023. Meanwhile, Korean students' confidence in math and science improved compared to the previous assessment.
Grade 8 math scores rose from 9.5 to 9.6 and science scores rose from 9.4 to 9.4 over the same period.
"Based on the results of this evaluation, we will implement related policies such as individualized education for students using digital textbooks that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), expanding inquiry-based lessons linked to knowledge, and improving thinking skills," an education ministry official said.
We will continue to work hard to promote this goal."