SINGAPORE – Students here appreciate the support from their teachers and have good relationships with them. But in a survey that followed the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) 2022 test, the students saw their families as being less supportive.
According to findings released on Dec 5, 86 per cent of Singapore students reported that their teachers give them extra help when needed in most or all mathematics lessons, compared with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 70 per cent.
And 87 per cent of them said teachers at their school are interested in their well-being, higher than the OECD average of 75 per cent.
But only about half said their parents take an interest in what they are learning at least once a week, lower than the OECD average of 66 per cent. And just 47 per cent said their parents ask them at least once a week about any problems they might have at school, compared with the OECD average of 57 per cent.
This is despite close to nine in 10 of them reporting that they eat their main meal with their parents at least once a week, the survey found.
The Pisa 2022 survey said that in all countries and economies, students who receive more support from their families reported a greater sense of belonging at school and life satisfaction. They also felt more confident in being able to learn more independently.
Across OECD countries, higher-performing students reported that their families regularly eat their main meal together, spend time talking with them or asking them what they did in school about either once or twice a week, nearly every day or daily.
These students scored 16 to 28 points higher in mathematics than students who said their families did not have such habits. This is after accounting for students’ and schools’ socio-economic profiles.
“Pisa results show that, for adolescents, even seemingly innocuous activities, like sharing a family meal or just talking together, are strongly associated with student performance and well-being,” said the report.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that parents are key partners in education, and it will continue to work closely with them and provide them with resources to better support their children.
MOE also took note of the survey finding on the level of physical activity among students after school.
Only 22 per cent of Singapore students reported that they exercise or practise a sport at least four days a week after school, compared with the OECD average of 39 per cent.
In addition, 29 per cent reported not exercising at all after school. The OECD average was 20 per cent.
MOE said schools will continue to partner parents and the community to help students be active both in and out of school.
Singapore’s 15-year-olds emerged top across mathematics, science and reading in Pisa 2022, an international benchmarking study to measure how well students use their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems.
A representative sample of 6,606 students from 149 secondary schools and 15 private schools, including international schools and madrasahs, took part in the study from April to May 2022.
The participants also answered a 35-minute questionnaire about themselves, and their attitudes to school, home and learning experiences.
