Montenegro ranked 52nd in the PISA test, the Ministry says: We have a lot of work ahead of us

Montenegro ranked 2018nd in the PISA test conducted in 52, it was announced on the OECD website dedicated to this test.

The Ministry of Education announced that Montenegro is slightly better on the PISA test, that we have a lot of work to do, especially in scientific literacy.

"In accordance with OECD procedures, today we are announcing the results of the PISA testing in 2018. We are especially pleased with the progress in mathematical literacy, we are better by 12 points, and statistically speaking, we are recording a growth trend since the beginning of participation in PISA testing by 31 points. The results in scientific literacy are slightly better than the previous cycle. In the PISA 2018 cycle, the focus was on reading literacy, where the novelty was the introduction of digital reading. The slight difference in the results both at the level of the OECD and at the level of Montenegro compared to the previous cycle is negligible precisely because of the introduction of digital reading, so we can say that the reading literacy results are at the level of the previous cycle. Also, in terms of reading literacy, the progress compared to 2006 was 29 points. The achieved points in reading literacy are 421, in mathematics 430 and in science 415, which places us in the second third of the total number of tested countries. We have no reason to be dissatisfied with the results, but we still need a lot of work to be satisfied," said the director of the Examination Center, Dragana Dmitrović.

She also pointed out that the data on the most popular occupations among fifteen-year-olds are interesting. Students are interested in sports, medicine, education, information technology, and legal sciences. A particularly important element is the belonging of the students to the school 81%, the feeling of security because students who feel a friendly atmosphere in the school achieve better results.

Dmitrović concluded with the data that the National Testing at the end of the 30nd cycle of elementary school also includes up to XNUMX% of PISA testing tasks, and that PISA testing should not be seen as a competition, but as another instrument of education management aimed at raising quality.

"In the area of ​​scientific literacy, it is necessary to work on equipping cabinets and laboratories so that students can perform exercises and experiments in controlled conditions and thus acquire practical and applicable knowledge."

The director of the directorate in the Ministry of Education, Arijana Nikolić, said that achievements in reading and mathematical literacy have improved since the first participation of Montenegro in PISA testing in 2006.

"Specifically, when we talk about trends, achievements in reading and math literacy have improved since the first participation of Montenegro in PISA testing in 2006. In terms of reading literacy, the greatest progress was achieved in earlier cycles, while progress in mathematics was recorded precisely in this, the last testing."

She added that "Montenegro has therefore shown with the latest results that it has achieved considerable progress in mathematical literacy, and that the biggest work awaits us in scientific literacy, where we are at a similar level as in the previous cycle".

"Also, I would like to point out one curiosity, which is that the gender differences are such that they indicate an equal attitude towards education, and the quality of education between the sexes. That is, in reading literacy, where the biggest difference is, it is in favor of girls, although is now decreasing. Boys are slightly better in mathematics, while in scientific literacy the differences in points are insignificant and in favor of girls".

Being aware of the importance of this testing, as Nikolić said, last year a multi-ministerial team visited a large part of Montenegrin schools, in order to technically prepare students for testing.

"In the essential sense, the educational reform was implemented in the middle of 2017, and since the testing was in 2018, we can certainly expect the full effect of the reform in the context of PISA testing, logically, in the next testing".

PISA testing is conducted every three years and assesses the degree to which XNUMX-year-old students around the world have acquired key knowledge and skills, and how well students can use what they have learned and apply their knowledge in an unfamiliar context. This approach starts from the fact that the modern economy rewards individuals not based on what they know, but based on what they can do with what they know.

The PISA survey includes key school subjects – reading, mathematics and science and innovative areas. Reading literacy is defined as the ability of students to understand, use, evaluate, reflect and engage in the interpretation of written texts. Mathematical literacy is defined as students' ability to formulate, use and interpret mathematics in different contexts. Scientific literacy is defined as the ability to engage in scientific questions and scientific ideas as a citizen who thinks critically.

The significance of this testing lies in its large geographical coverage.

"In fact, in 2018, all 37 OECD member countries and 42 partner countries and economies participated in the PISA test. So a total of 79 countries. The PISA 2018 test was conducted on a computer for reading, mathematics and scientific literacy and lasted two hours. Due to the difference in education systems of the participating countries, students are not tested in the same grade, but in the same age group. PISA test participants are between 15 years and three months and 16 years and two months and have completed at least six years of formal schooling. The sample includes 6 fifteen-year-olds from 973 secondary schools schools and 51 elementary schools. 15 high schools, 11 secondary vocational schools and 28 mixed schools participated in this PISA cycle," said the Ministry of Education.

Among the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (62), North Macedonia (67) and Kosovo (75) are ranked lower than Montenegro. Slovenia ranked 21st, Croatia 29th, and Serbia 45th.

The list ranks 79 countries or economies. The first two places are occupied by China and Singapore.

PISA testing is, by the way, a program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).