Estonian Students Europe's 2nd in Science, Math Waning
Estonian schoolchildren continue to hold a strong position in PISA's global education assessment, particularly in reading and science.
In the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study published by the OECD on December 7, the nation ranked 13 in the world in the field of comprehensive reading. Among European countries, Estonia's position rose from eighth to fifth.
On the other hand, Estonia's results for mathematics and science have declined. Since 2006, the country's ranking for mathematics declined from 14th to 17th in the world and from sixth to seventh in Europe.
Although still second in Europe in sciences, the global rank fell from fifth to ninth.
Conducted every three years, PISA is the most extensive and influential education assessment in the world. The study surveyed 4,727 Estonian students and 175 of the nation's schools. It encompassed 65 other countries.