Australia gains in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study

Things are starting to add up for Aussie students, but we’ve a way to go to catch up with the best.

Australian students have made gains in studying science and maths but the country remains far behind global leader Singapore, according to the world’s longest running international assessment of the critical study areas.

Australiawide, girls are doing as well as boys except for Year 4 maths – and in South Australia, girls far out perform boys in Year 4 science.

The assessment, published on Tuesday night by the Australian Council for Educational Research, tests students in science and maths in Years 4 and 8 every four years.

“Australia’s achievement in Year 8 mathematics and science, and Year 4 science has improved both in an absolute sense and relative to other countries since the 2015 assessment,” the council’s deputy chief executive, Sue Thomson, said.

However, she cautioned there had been no improvement in Year 4 maths since 2007.

There was also a “solid tail of underachievement that needs to be addressed”, she said.

Roughly 70 to 80 per cent of Australians met proficiency targets, compared to more than 90 per cent of Singaporeans.

In Year 8 maths, Australia jumped to 7th best from 13th four years ago.

Among states and territories, the ACT was the best performer and the NT the worst.

SA students were mostly on par with children in other states.

However, compared to the previous report, SA had not kept pace with NSW in several areas and Victoria in Year 4 maths.

The report – Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2019 – involved more than 580,000 students in 64 countries. This was the sixth report in the series.

It included nearly 15,000 Australian students, of whom 1814 were from 80 schools SA.

Australian Council for Educational Research deputy chief executive Sue Thomson.

Dr Thomson said more research would be needed to explain the gap between states.

Nonetheless, SA had improved on its own score except for Year 4 maths, with a significant gain in Year 8 science.

“That’s a real positive for SA,” she said.

She said science was increasingly attractive to young people because they saw its relevance to their lives in addressing climate change.

“There’s been an increase in the visibility of science in climate change and global warming,” she said.

There was also a push linking science and technology with jobs.

Richmond Primary School Year 4 student Prisha Jaiswal with teacher Maree Moore. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Richmond Primary School specialist science teacher Maree Moore was not surprised girls were performing well in the subject.

“Girls aren’t daunted at all,” she said.

“There’s so much technology and it’s not targeted to either gender.

“And girls love finding things out and problem solving.”

Richmond Year 4 student Prisha Jaiswal, 10, said there were so many unanswered questions she wanted to find answers for.

“I like how you can be creative with science,” she said.

Prisha was one of the prize winners in the Oliphant science awards this year for designing a hydraulic lift.

The Oliphants are presented annually in multiple categories.

The top two awards went to girls – the Oliphant trophy to Glenunga International High’s Raihanah Pranggono and the Oliphant Medal to Phoebe Wood from Upper Sturt Primary.