By Dean Jorge Bocobo
The periodic international survey Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS) measures the math and science proficiency of grade school and high school students from all around the world in a series of standardized tests whose data are analysed and used to improve national and local school systems, curricula, and performance outcomes over time. A paper by K. Nabeshima (PDF) shows the Philippines consistently near the bottom in both Math and Science among Asia Pacific Rim countries.
| COUNTRY | SCIENCE-SCORE | RANKING (1 -38) |
| Taiwan | 569 | 1 |
| Singapore | 568 | 2 |
| Japan | 550 | 4 |
| Korea | 549 | 5 |
| Hong_Kong | 530 | 15 |
| United_States | 515 | 18 |
| Int'l_Average | 488 | -- |
| Malaysia | 492 | 22 |
| Thailand | 482 | 24 |
| Indonesia | 435 | 32 |
| Philippines | 345 | 36 (out of 38) |
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