After years of failure and disappointment, Israeli pupils have scored major achievements in international tests. Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar today presented the results of the 2011 tests for primary and junior high school pupils. Israeli pupils ranked seventh in the world in mathematics and second in the world in reading by Hebrew speakers.
The scores, published simultaneously around the world, are for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for eighth grade pupils and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) for fourth grade pupils in a nationwide sample. The results show that Israeli pupils rose from 24th place worldwide to 7th place in the TIMSS test. Israeli pupils reached 18th place worldwide in the PIRLS test, and Hebrew speakers tied for second place with their peers from Russia and Finland.
According to the TIMSS, which examined the level of eight graders in math and sciences, Israeli students scored 516 points in math, well above the 467 point average, and 516 in science, above the 477 point average.
See Globes for more details.