RI outclassed in maths and science

RI outclassed in maths and science

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia ranks among the six most poorly
educated countries in mathematics and science, according to a
survey of 38 members of the Third International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMSS).

The low ranking pales in comparison to neighboring Singapore
which topped the Study in Mathematics and was second only to
Taiwan in science.

In Indonesia the TIMSS survey was conducted jointly by the
Boston International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement, and the Center of Research of the
Ministry of National Education.

Altogether, some 180,000 students from 38 countries
participated in the study.

The survey in Indonesia involved 150 public and private junior
high schools, examining 5,838 students in their second year, 50.6
percent of whom were females.

It covered three elements of content, performance expectation
and perspectives on both mathematics and science.

In science achievement, Indonesian students ranked 32nd, with
Turkey, Tunisia, Chile, the Philippines, Morocco and South Africa
faring worse.

While in mathematics Indonesia slid even further down the
scale to 34th, only rating better than Chile, the Philippines,
Morocco and South Africa.

Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin conceded on
Wednesday that the country still had to push further in these
fields.

While Indonesia was still ahead of some countries, Yahya
remarked that this was nothing to be proud of.

"We should look up to the developed, top countries in science
and mathematics such as Singapore," the minister said during a
seminar on the results of the study.

The ministry, in its new curriculum, has pledged to place
basic science, English and mathematics at the core of elementary
and secondary education while reducing the priority of subjects
such as civics.

"This generation must be able to increase the quality of the
country's education levels. The students have to learn science in
a fun way instead of the old method that was too depressing,"
Yahya added.

A standard procedure for conducting the TIMSS survey was
imposed on all 38 countries, in which the sample is determined by
Statistics Canada, data processing is conducted by the University
of Hamburg and scaling by ETS Princeton.

Meanwhile, the minister also revealed that the allocation for
education in the 2001 State Budget has been raised by some 2.1
percent from the initial figure of Rp 11.3 trillion.

The House of Representatives approved the budget on
Saturday.

"We have not received the total calculation yet but the
Commission VI for Education, Health and Social Welfare said that
some revisions will follow," Yahya added in hope.

Most of the budget is expected to be allocated to improving
basic secondary education. (edt)

Average Score of Mathematics

1. Singapore 604

2. Korea 587

3. Taiwan 585

4. Hong Kong 582

5. Japan 579

6. Belgium (Flemish) 558

7. Netherlands 540

8. Slovak Republic 534

9. Hungary 532

10. Canada 531

11. Slovenia 530

12. Russian Federation 526

13. Australia 525

14. Finland 520

15. Czech Republic 520

16. Malaysia 519

17. Bulgaria 511

18. Latvia 505

19. United States 502

20. England 496

21. New Zealand 491

22. Lithuania 482

23. Italy 479

24. Cyprus 476

25. Romania 472

26. Moldova 469

27. Thailand 467

28. Israel 466

29. Tunisia 448

30. Macedonia 447

31. Turkey 429

32. Jordan 428

33. Iran 422

34. Indonesia 403

35. Chile 392

36. Philippines 345

37. Morocco 337

38. South Africa 275

Average Score of Science

1. Taiwan 569

2. Singapore 568

3. Hungary 552

4. Japan 550

5. Korea 549

6. Netherlands 545

7. Australia 540

8. Czech Republic 539

9. England 538

10. Finland 535

11. Slovak Republic 535

12. Belgium (Flemish) 535

13. Slovenia 533

14. Canada 533

15. Hong Kong SAR 530

16. Russian Federation 529

17. Bulgaria 518

18. United States 515

19. New Zealand 510

20. Latvia 503

21. Italy 493

22. Malaysia 492

23. Lithuania 488

24. Thailand 482

25. Romania 472

26. Israel 468

27. Cyprus 460

28. Moldova 459

29. Macedonia 458

30. Jordan 450

31. Iran 448

32. Indonesia 435

33. Turkey 433

34. Tunisia 430

35. Chile 420

36. Philippines 345

37. Morocco 323

38. South Africa 243