Israeli students improved their performance in math and science, according to a valuation by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Israel ranked ninth in math and fifth in science, among 39 countries that participated in the institution's annual Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, the results of which were published on Tuesday.
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TIMSS aims to evaluate the math and science knowledge and skills of eighth-graders around the world. The evaluation took place in April-May 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic crippled the school system.
Educational experts said that given the sporadic studying during lockdowns, the performance of Israeli students may suffer in the future.
According to the study, Israeli students improved their scores both in mathematics and science. The students received 519 points in mathematics this year, eight points more than last year, and ranked ninth on the list.
In science, the students received 513 points, six points more than in 2018, and ranked fifth in the category.
TIMSS also reveals that Israel has more straight-A-students than the international average, 15% more in mathematics and 12% more in science.
"This is wonderful news and a great achievement on the part of the Israeli students," said Yamina chairman former Education Minister Naftali Bennett.
"I am proud to see that the efforts we invested in the education system during my tenure as minister are paying off, and Israeli students are excelling in these subjects. The credit goes to all the teachers, principals, education system, and our understanding that Israel's future depends on the scientific and mathematical power of its people."
Despite the positive results of TIMSS, there is still room for improvement. The evaluation also reported that the rate of struggling students in Israel stands at 13% in every subject, which is considered high. Secondly, there is a vast educational gap between excelling and struggling students.
Israel ranked fifth in the achievement gap category for math and eleventh for science. The Education Ministry points out, however, that the educational gap between the struggling and the excelling students has decreased compared to previous TIMSS evaluations. Also, the improvement in struggling students' achievements has been more significant than the moderate increase in the excelling students' accomplishments.
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