A large international study released Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that Canadian students rank among the leaders in mathematics on the international scene.
The Council of Ministers of Education of Canada specifies that the study observed that Quebec students particularly excelled in mathematics and ranked at levels comparable to those of some of the best-performing countries and economies.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducts a survey every three years to assess the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds from 81 countries and economies near the end of their compulsory education. The main domain assessed in PISA 2022 was mathematics, while reading and science were secondary domains.
In Canada, more than 23,000 students from more than 850 schools in ten provinces participated.
The survey shows that in mathematics, 15-year-old students from Canada were the only ones from North America to appear in the top ten best performing countries. Some 78% of students in Canada have achieved a proficiency level at or above level two in mathematics, considered the foundational level to take full advantage of more advanced learning opportunities and play an active role in society.
Students in Canada performed very well in reading and science. In reading, only two economies and three countries outperformed Canada, while in science, only three economies and three countries performed better.
Those in Quebec, Ontario and Prince Edward Island are at the top of the ranking in reading, compared to those in other provinces.
The survey shows that in Canada, in mathematics, boys achieved higher average scores than girls. In reading, girls consistently performed better than boys, while in science, girls and boys performed similarly.