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