A report has revealed that Australian students are falling behind other countries for subjects of reading, mathematics and science but Port Macquarie-Hastings region schools aren’t concerned about the survey due to a number of initiatives taking place.
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The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students.
The survey tested around 540,000 15-year-old students in 72 countries and economies on science, reading, maths and collaborative problem-solving.
Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Hong Kong (China) and Macao (China) achieved both high standards of excellence overall and equity in education outcomes.
However in Australia the share of students performing at the highest levels fell at the same time as the share of low performers rose.
St Columba Anglican School mathematics teacher Janine Stewart said the results of the report are concerning but it is not one that applies to independent schools like St Columba.
“If you actually delve into the data further independent schools in NSW and across this country are actually ranked fifth in the PISA,” she said.
“You can really prove anything with statistics and I can’t speak for schools from across multiple sectors, I can only speak from my experience at St Columba.”
Dr Stewart said there is a culture at the school where excellence is the expectation.
She believes that in order to teach effectively people need to have a deep understanding of the subject matter.
Dr Stewart said it is important that students have access to a teacher whose first subject is mathematics.
At St Columba Anglican School Dr Stewart said that she tries to relate the subject to real life as much as she can.
“Once the engagement comes, with that the results follow,” she said.
Last week the results of the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) were released from testing year four and eight students.
The results showed that Australia had fallen by as much as 10 places as measured against students in other countries in year four and eight mathematics and science since 2011.
The TIMMS statistics represent all three school sectors including public, catholic systemic and independent.
A spokesperson from the education department said that there were a number of initiatives in maths and science in NSW government schools in the Hastings including at Hastings Secondary College which is one of seven 2016 NSW STEM Action Schools.
The school is involved in mentoring other schools in northern NSW as they develop their own STEM programs.
In 2016 and 2017 Hastings Secondary College students have been and will be sponsored to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra.
The College BEST (Be Everything, Succeed Together) program combines students from both campuses, engaging gifted students in maths and helping them succeed in higher level mathematics courses.
The spokesperson said that at Tacking Point Public School STEM is integral to teaching, with a deliberate increase in resources towards areas including maths and computer coding.
