118 schools join survey to assess math, science education

MANILA, Philippines – One hundred eighteen schools in the Philippines participated for the first time in an international survey that will gauge students’ performance in science and mathematics.

Science Education Institute (SEI) Director Ester Ogena said the Philippines took part in the recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Advanced 2008 to also assess the state of science and math education in the country.

“This assessment (program) provides a state-of-the-art evaluation of student achievement in advanced mathematics and physics,” Ogena said.

TIMSS Advanced 2008 gathers baseline information and benchmark performance level of Filipino students “to identify specific factors that contribute to the performance of students in mathematics and serve as baseline data for the formation of policies and implementation of interrelated programs,” she said.

Seventy-five science and technology-oriented schools and 43 regional high schools, university rural high schools and laboratory schools, public and private science high schools, and campuses of the Philippine Science High School participated in TIMSS.

TIMSS Advanced assesses senior students taking up advanced mathematics and physics and provides an international comparative data on the achievement of students enrolled in advanced courses.

The Philippines last participated in the TIMSS-Repeat 2003 where a rider study indicated that second year high school students from three science and technology-oriented schools showed better performance in mathematics than those in Australia, England, United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Russia.    – Helen Flores