In the latest (7th) cycle of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which assesses the mathematics and science knowledge of students around the world, Lebanon ranked among the lowest countries.
Lebanon participated in the 8th-grade section of the study, conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IES), involving 38 other countries.
On the science scale of TIMSS, the average score of a Lebanese 8th grader is 377 points, which is the second-lowest score, coming in just before South Africa, the country with the lowest score of 370 points.
In comparison, the highest point average, which was scored by Singapore, is 608. This is the lowest average Lebanon has scored in the 5 times it has participated in the study over the past 2 decades.
The country did slightly better on the mathematics scale, scoring 429 and ranking 32nd out of 39, with the highest score achieved being 616, also by Singapore.
TIMSS is conducted once every 4 years, using criteria that enable the measurement of progress in teaching and learning for each country at the international level, taking into consideration the different key home, school, and classroom variables.
While it evaluates and paints a picture of each country’s overall student achievement, it also serves as a tool for the evaluation of its educational system, policies, curricula, and their effectiveness in yielding good results.
