Shanghai is Number One in World Education Rankings

A   global   educational   study   called PISA (Program for International   Assessment ) tests over 500,000 pupils in over 70 countries every three years. The 2010 results showed that pupils in Shanghai are the world’s best in reading mathematics and  science . PISA studies 15 year olds and their   abilities in the three fields.  The study did not rank China as a whole but Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macao as   separate   countries.

South Korea, Singapore Taiwan and Japan were other Asian nations that   ranked   well. In many western countries the reading   score   was down. In Europe, Finland still stays in the number one spot although   it is   ranking   third overall. Americans are, at best,   average , ranking 17th   in reading, 23rd   in science and 31st   in mathematics.

Why have Asian countries overtaken Europe and America in the tests?  First, they put more   focus   on education.   Children, parents and teachers know that a good education is the   key   to being successful. They are not   tolerant   when pupils   fail . Asians believe that if you do hard and   succeed   in school you will be successful in your job as well.

Starting at a very early age China teaches its children that you can only succeed if you are better than the others. They are tested as soon as they come to school. Only the best can go to college and then get a good job. Examinations are held very often and lists of students rankings   are   posted   on the walls of a school. Shanghai students study much harder than western pupils do and they spend less time on   extracurricular   activities   or sport. Teachers are also   respected , paid well and   highly motivated .