Test Scores Point to Greater Focus on Kids

New international test scores are pointing the way to a greater focus on Nova Scotia children, Education Minister Jamie Muir said today, Dec. 7.

"As Premier John Hamm has stated in recent weeks, nothing we can do as government is more important than ensuring our young people receive the best possible start in life," said Mr. Muir. "We are determined to keep doing more to improve the education of our children."

According to the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Nova Scotia students scored above the international average in tests for reading, mathematics, science and problem solving. Nationally, Nova Scotia is on par with New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, significantly higher than Prince Edward Island, but lower than the Canadian average.

The results were released on Dec. 6, by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"Our students are scoring higher than many of their counterparts around the world, including the United States, Germany and Ireland," said Mr. Muir. "But we're not satisfied with these results. We're determined to improve our performance in relation to other Canadian provinces; indeed to move to the top of the pack."

About 30,000 15-year-old Canadian students wrote the international tests. Of 41 participating countries, Canada's students scored high, with only one country outperforming Canada in reading, two in math and four in both science and problem solving. Canadian provinces were ranked individually and Nova Scotia matched its performance in 2000, with relatively similar results in all areas.

"We've made significant investments in literacy and math over the last couple of years through Learning for Life," said Mr. Muir. "Those investments are already beginning to show results in the classroom, and they will be reflected, in time, in better test scores. But we know that with co-operation from students, school boards, teachers and parents, we can do more."

Mr. Muir and Premier Hamm will meet with school boards, teachers, parents, students and other education partners in the new year to discuss new initiatives to improve Nova Scotia's education system. These initiatives will build on Learning for Life, a plan that focuses on the early years and targets more resources and support to students studying reading, writing and math.

PISA testing and reporting is carried out in Canada by the Council of Ministers of Education - Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, Statistics Canada and provincial departments and ministries of education. The Canadian report and highlights are available on the Internet at www.pisa.gc.ca . The OECD's international report is available in the documents section of its website at www.pisa.oecd.org .