The Sultanate has seen a significant improvement in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 from PISA 2018 in all three domains of mathematics, reading and science.
This was announced during the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) press briefing on the release of the PISA yesterday, led by Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the MoE Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati binti Haji Tajuddin, who is also on the Brunei Darussalam PISA Governing Board.
Mathematics improved by 12 points to 442, reading by 21 to 429 and science by 15 to 446, the permanent secretary said, Results of the PISA 2022 Main Study was released simultaneously in Paris, for 81 participating countries and economies, by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
PISA provides indicators of the competencies in mathematics, reading and science for a nation’s 15-year-olds.
Data from the PISA Student Questionnaire was also used to generate the index of Economic, Social and Cultural Status (ESCS) which gives some measure of equity in education.
A sample of 690,000 students aged 15 participated in this study, with the Sultanate contributing 5,576 students across 54 secondary schools.
Brunei was one of the top three performing countries in all domains of PISA 2022 among the participating ASEAN member countries.
Meanwhile, the OECD also published some key findings for the Sultanate. Brunei is one of the only four countries that has recorded improvement in all three domains, and the only country in PISA 2022 where both its advantaged and disadvantaged students’ competencies increased by at least 13 points.
In addition, there is good likelihood that these students have equal access to most schools in the country.
School leaders reported an increase in parental engagement with their teachers from PISA 2018, while over 80 per cent of the students indicated that their teachers are always ready to help them when needed.
The MoE attributed the encouraging performance of students to the collective effort of educators in helping all students reach their full potential.
“This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative approach and ultimately moving closer to realising Brunei Vision 2035.
“However, in comparison to other participating countries, the Sultanate’s performance is still below average.
“In its mission to ‘Provide Quality and Holistic Education for a Purposeful Life for Learners’, the MoE will continue its efforts to support teachers and schools as outlined in the new Strategic Plan 2023-2027. The ministry will also ensure students’ well-being is safeguarded, that all may achieve purposeful and fulfilling lives by working with relevant stakeholders to support students in need.” – Fadley Faisal
