PISA 10 years later

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30 augustus 2012 | A second chance in education? A PISA longitudinal study shows it exists. With Canada’s effective educational integration policies young immigrants manage to score much better on reading skills comparing 2000 and 2009 results. The gap between them and native students disappears.

Canada placed second best in PISA’s reading proficiency tests in2000. The OECD conducted a follow up study testing the same Canadian students 10years later to see whether their skills improved and to what thiscould be attributed to.

On average, the reading proficiency increased by 57 points on atotal scale from 0 to 600. The greatest improvement of 62 pointswas realized by students from socio-economically disadvantagedbackgrounds. Yet, a significant gap of 50 points remained comparedto advantaged students.

Canada’s integration policies work

By contrast, young immigrants scored 21 points lower at age 15and managed to test 2 points higher than native Canadians 10 yearslater. OECD researchers attribute this to the effective Canadianeducation and integration policies.

Naturally, further education between the first test at age 15and the subsequent one at age 24 significantly enhanced readingproficiency. University students improved their reading skills by56 points up from 596, while scores of people with a high schooldegree or less went up from 499 to 564.

“The bottom line: Learning does not end with compulsoryeducation. The fact that young people, regardless of theireducational attainment, can continue to acquire reading skillsbetween the ages of 15 and 24 shows that no one should feelresigned to inferior reading proficiency because of poor initialeducation,” the OECD concludes.

Source: OECD