Panamanian students got what has been described as a devastating result in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) It ranked 71st out of 77.
According to this world reference educational test, Panama is ranked 71 out of 77 countries evaluated, only above Indonesia, Morocco, Lebanon, Kosovo, Dominican Republic, and the Philippines.
After a 9-year break, 15-year-old students from Panama were re-examined last year about their knowledge and skills in math, science and reading comprehension.
The portrait of Panamanian education left by the 2018 results corresponding to 2018, presented simultaneously on several continents on Tuesday, is devastating reports La Prensa.
Panama is well below the middle zone both in reading and understanding a written text - where the strongest are Estonia and Canada - and in mathematics and science, subjects dominated by China, Singapore and Hong Kong.
According to the data, 64% of 15-year-old Panamanian students cannot “identify the main idea in a text of moderate length, find information based on explicit criteria, nor can they reflect on the purpose and form of the texts when it explicitly indicates that they do so ”.
And 34% hardly reach this minimum of understanding. That is to say, of every ten students, more than six do not understand what they read. In contrast, 77% of the students in the countries that make up the OECD, trained for this basic function. In fact, the Panamanian score is 377 points (the average is 487), which places the country in 63rd place. Below are only Indonesia, Morocco, Lebanon, Kosovo, Dominican Republic and the Philippines.
As for the evaluation in science, students in Panama who are competent in drawing some conclusions from different data sources and can describe and explain in part simple causal relationships only around 29%.
The OECD average is 78%. Panama has obtained a result of 365 points when the average of the OECD countries is 489.
The panorama in mathematics is much worse. 81% of students do not know how to answer a simple calculation, such as comparing the total distance through two alternative routes or converting prices to a different currency. In the world, only 24% reach this level. In total, Panama has scored 353 points when the average is 489. Only students from the Philippines and the Dominican Republic are in a lower stage.
It is the second time that Panama participated in the exam that assesses the extent to which students close to the end of compulsory education have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary for full participation in the knowledge society.
The test is conducted every three years and serves governments and schools as a guide to improve students' academic skills.
Panama | Country by Country Education Comparison The U.S.A. has a colorful history of textbooks beginning with various tribes of Indians. Indian culture and adventures of war with U.S. allies makes for an interesting story. Famous cowboy robbers of legend and those fancy pistols worth $$$ in museums. The U.S.A. incredible engineering of television, appliances and atomic bombs illustrated. The U.S.A. advanced calculators and computers made learning easier. Panama?... Invaded for their gold by conquistadores. Panama invaded as a pathway to the California gold rush. Panama invaded by a U.S.A. president to encourage independence for their proposed canal. The U.S.A. pays off Columbia to avoid war to build their canal...$10's millions. Panama kept in the dark about the construction of the Panama canals. The U.S.A. colonizing Panama leaving its citizens disenchanted. Panama education is about what...the U.S.A.? Panama and those nasty mosquitos and the...Zika!...(baby shrunken brains). Panama and the canal takeover...1999. Panama and the Panama Papers! Panama and the $billions of losses due to government corruption...less education. Panama has financial stress and the drivers are stressed and...accidents...too much beer? Panama is not controlled by a powerfully rich government. Panama is controlled by a powerfully corrupt government. So...why is Panama so uneducated...hmmm...(the U.S.A. left Panama in the dark?)
== Sadly there is a lack of understanding as to how Panama became an independent country. Even among adults. == It's true. I asked several adults if they knew how Panamá gained independence from Colombia. They didn't.
Good grief .. KOFER... you obviously mix with the wrong crowd here in Panama. The reason for the carnage on the roads is speeding and drinking and using cell phones, not as you claim. They have to pass a driving and written test to get a license... it is not easy, I know from personal experience...seco is only the favorite of certain people not the general population as you would seem to believe... you seem to think all government employees steal from the government, true in some cases but not everyone as you claim...and you claim there is no education here and the teachers do not know what they teach.... so education is indeed lacking but there is educationa and there are teachers who know the stuff they teach... So my question to you is... why don't you move somewhere else where you can dod or say something positive about something where you would be. Did you leave your home country, probably the "good ole u.s. of a", where you could not find anything good there either. You are what is known as a total malcontent. You probably could not find good in anything. Yes there are a lot of problems here like everywhere. And if you would try to help the situation by making some positive suggestions or may be even getting to work with some organization to improve things they you would be more able to make negative comments. Try to get a real life.
Sadly there is a lack of understanding as to how Panama became an independent country. Even among adults. Even a basic understanding of WW1 and WW2 is lacking. However they do know who Che Guevara was.
This is not even news to anyone who lives here. These people can't pour piss out of a boot with directions on the heel. Watching these idiots try and operate a vehicle is frightening, hence the street carnage daily. Problem solving is non existent. Seco, push buttons and Queridas are the priority in Panama. I know I know, I won't leave out stealing as much as possible at their govt jobs. Schools here are just state run day care centers, there is no education happening here. The teachers don't even know the subjects that they teach. Ask any local and they will tell you their education is on par with the rest of the world because that is the one lie that is repeated here often. Oh and anyone who points out these facts will be called racist. Expect nothing to change here except maybe an increase in teen pregnancy rates after the coming Carnaval.
This is such a pathetically inadequate result ... a sad state!
This is such a pathetically inadequate result ... a sad state!