Australian student academics on par with poor Singaporeans

The science, reading and mathematics skills of Australian students are on par with the most disadvantaged students in Singapore.

According to Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores, Singapore’s 15-year-old’s are the smartest in the world and are two years and four months ahead of Australian students in maths.

That would mean the average 15-year-old in the Asian city would be as clever as an Aussie school student aged 17 years and four months.

They are also 18 months ahead in science and 12 months more advanced in reading, the study found.

Coordinator of PISA Andreas Schleicher says Singapore values its poorer students’ education and ‘believes in the success of every child’, which he could not say about Australia.

Mr Schleicher was quick to point out that if Australia doesn’t stop their academic freefall they will face ‘an uphill struggle to remain ahead in this hyper-connected world,’ reports The Australian.

Last year’s PISA results showed that Australian students had slipped 12 months behind where they were in 2003 and were seven months behind were they were in science compared to 2006.

Australia has also fallen an incredible 10 months behind in reading since 2000.

Interestingly last year the results of the 2015 PISA tests were released and showed that Australian students had slipped 12 months behind where they were in 2003, seven months behind in science compared to 2006 (stock image)

Education Minister Simon Birmingham (pictured) said that while strong amounts of funding into the sector would make a substantial difference, what matters more is how the money is used

The idea in Australian culture that intelligence is a product of genetics, rather than hard work, is a mindset Mr Schleicher would like to see abolished – and one that differs from most Asian countries.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham said that while strong amounts of funding into the sector would make a substantial difference, what matters more is how the money is used.

David Gonski is currently leading a group of experts to examine ‘best-practice initiatives’ to ensure the money is helping students reach their fullest potential.