Tiger economies trump us in maths, global study shows

Australian students have performed ‘well behind the world’s smartest countries’ in global maths and science testing.

Curtis Lai, Charlotte Gorey and Ava Asadpour in the Science Shed at Balwyn North Primary School in Melbourne on Wednesday. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

More Australian children are mastering mathematics and science but one in three still ­struggles, as Asian nations lead the world in the latest testing of 650,000 students from 58 ­countries.

The 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), released on Wednesday night, shows that Australia’s year 4 students have scored their highest maths marks since the four-yearly test began 28 years ago.

Even so, 9 per cent of the 10-year-old students fell into the “below low’’ category – failing to add or subtract three-digit numbers, or multiply and divide single-digit whole numbers.

Students in NSW, Victoria and the ACT topped the nation in maths and science but those living in Tasmania and the Northern Territory were most likely to fail.

Boys and migrant students performed best in both subjects and year levels.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, along with students with few books at home, were most likely to be “low ­performers’’.

Australia’s former chief scientist Alan Finkel warned of falling enrolments in core science subjects like chemistry and physics in high school.

“Among those who attend university, and pursue degrees in fields like economics, engineering and medicine, many rely on bridging courses for maths and science,’’ he said. “These stopgaps often fall short, leaving students underprepared in technical areas.

“This capability gap threatens Australia’s future workforce capacity and global standing.’’

Dr Finkel, who now chairs Stile Education, which provides science syllabus materials for schools, called for extra focus on teaching the subjects of science, maths and English at school.

At Balwyn North Primary School in Melbourne, principal Tony Stokes is sparking students’ interest in science with a stand-alone laboratory, and regular guest visits from scientists.

“It’s quite quirky – we’ve got a 3D printer, we do a lot of coding and do experiments in nature with bugs and mini-beasts,’’ he said.

“We focus on teamwork to build innovation and creativity.’’

The global TIMSS test found that 64 per cent of Australia’s year 8 students were proficient in maths – well above the inter­national median result of 55 per cent – but Australia trails behind the “Asian tiger’’ economies, where 92 per cent of Japanese students, 89 per cent of Singaporean students, 88 per cent of students in Korea and 85 per cent in Hong Kong performed at a proficient level in year 8 maths.

Australia’s year 4 science students performed slightly better than Hong Kong students, as well as those from the US, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand.

Centre for Independent Studies education policy program director Glenn Fahey called for more focus on maths in the early years of schooling. “If Australia is to be a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) superpower in the future, we must achieve maths outcomes that compete with the best in the world,’’ he said. “Instead, Australia continues to perform as a second-rate country and well behind the world’s smartest countries. Current maths results place Australia alongside Eastern ­Europe but we should aspire to replicate East Asia’s performance.’’

The Australian Council for Educational Research, which launched the TIMSS report, revealed that half the year 8 students in the NT, and 41 per cent in South Australia and Tasmania, lacked the minimal skills in maths.

In Tasmania and the NT, one in five year 8 students were “very low performers who struggled to display even basic mathematical or scientific knowledge and understanding’’.

In year 4 maths, 72 per cent of Australian children met the proficiency standard in 2023, just above the international median of 70 per cent.

By the time they reached high school, however, only 64 per cent of year 8 students performed at or above the expected standard.

Students fared better in the science test, which this year included more questions about environmental issues. In year 4, 83 per cent of students were proficient in science compared with the international median of 70 per cent.

In maths, year 8 students were stronger in data and probability, weaker in numbers and algebra.

In science, the year 8s did better in physics and earth science questions than in biology and chemistry.

Boys outperformed girls in maths and science, with Australia and France sharing the top spot for the widest gender gap in year 4 maths achievement.

Students from migrant families did better than English-speaking students in year 4 maths.

“Students who did not speak English at home almost always scored significantly higher than those who did speak English at home,’’ the report states.

In a clear link between strong literacy and mathematical success, ACER reported that “students with many books in the home performed at a higher level’’.

ACER said the strong year 4 results “defied concerns about disrupted learning during the Covid-19 pandemic’’.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the patchy results highlight education gaps for First Nat­ions students and those from poorer families, or living in regional and remote areas.

He praised students, teachers and parents for their hard work. “These results highlight we have a good education system, but it can be better and fairer,’’ he said.

“That’s why we want to invest more money in public schools and tie funding to practical reforms (to) help students catch up, keep up and finish school.’’

The tests involved 5470 year 4 students from 283 primary schools and 8442 year 8 students from 276 high schools.

TIMMS, directed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achieve­­ment, is managed in Australia by ACER