Are the results of the different countries really comparable? | PISA Study

Are the results of the different countries really comparable?

Approximately 70 different countries are participating in the PISA study, which raises the question of whether the country results are really comparable. In each country the same group of people is confronted with the same tasks. Judging by this aspect, the results are comparable in a certain sense. However, the study does not take into account the national and cultural conditions and the different school systems of the different countries. Accordingly, it is up to each individual to judge whether and how well the country results are comparable.

Why is Germany so bad in the PISA study?

Students in Germany scored only mediocre in the PISA study and are far from the international top. The PISA study shows that school success in Germany is strongly dependent on the income and education of parents. Furthermore, the support of children from immigrant families and the support of children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds is less successful in Germany than in other countries.

Thus, there is a correlation between the history of migration and the educational success of the respective student. In Germany, the proportion of “at-risk pupils” who have a very low level of achievement is high.Almost half of the 15-year-olds with a migrant background show poor school performance. Since, according to the OECD, more than a quarter of the students in Germany have foreign roots, there are a correspondingly large number of low-performing students. Other countries are more successful in achieving a high level of competence among students, regardless of their social background.