PISA TESTS

The Programme for International Student Assessment (or PISA) is a way of comparing educational performance across countries. Marks are given in mathematics, reading and science for pupils aged 15. The programme is run by the OECD, though it also includes countries who are not OECD members.

Given the variety in participant countries' cultures and educational systems, statisticians have long criticised the tests as overly simplistic. Yet since starting in 2000, the three-yearly results have quickly become the yardstick by which countries (and, in particular, their Education Ministers) judge themselves.

Denmark has the world's most expensive state school system, so there were high expectations when the latest 2012 results were announced today. However, the country achieved only middling grades in all three subjects, well behind the front-runners from East Asia (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea) and Finland, and below most of the E.U. countries with whom Denmark likes to compare itself.

Politicians were quick to try and put a gloss on things, saying that Denmark has too many less-able children in its survey. However, that cannot hide the fact that Denmark's results have not improved since 2006, and in mathematics have got worse. It is clear that more money does not necessarily lead to better educated children. The problem is working out what does.

Walter Blotscher