The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) released the results of the 2023 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), an international assessment of the quality of school education in mathematics and science. A total of 72 countries participated in the study, including Uzbekistan for the first time.
The main goal of this research, conducted every four years, is to provide a comparative evaluation of educational quality in mathematics and science (biology, chemistry, physics and earth science) for primary and middle school students (4 and 8 grades). The study is based on a representative sample of students from participating countries, with the average age being no less than 9.5 years for 4th graders and no less than 13.5 years for 8th graders.
The TIMSS uses a scoring scale with the following benchmarks:
- 400 points — lower level: students have a basic understanding of the subject.
- 475 points — intermediate level: students can apply subject knowledge in basic situations.
- 550 points — advanced level: students can apply subject knowledge in various contexts.
- 625 points — high level: students can select and analyze information to solve problems.
Results
The average score for 4th-grade students in mathematics in Uzbekistan was 443 points (50th place out of 58 countries). The average score for boys was 446, and for girls it was 441.
The average score for 8th-grade students in mathematics was 421 points (32nd place out of 44 countries). The average score for boys was 426, and for girls it was 416.
In science, the average score for 4th-grade students was 412 points (54th place out of 58 countries). The average score for boys was 414, and for girls, it was 410.
For 8th-grade students, the average score in science was 396 points (39th place out of 44 countries). The average score for boys was 396, and for girls, it was 395.
What do these results mean?
On average, students in Uzbekistan demonstrated a basic level of knowledge of subject (in science, 8th-grade students were below the basic level).
A quarter of all students who participated in the study had no basic understanding of the subject, and 75% of students could only apply their knowledge in basic situations.
No students reached the high or advanced levels in mathematics or science. Overall, the results for boys were slightly higher than those for girls.
According to another study, the 2022 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results, more than 60% of students in Uzbekistan did not reach the minimum second level in any of the three areas of literacy (reading, mathematics and science).
