Education of Disadvantaged Children in OIC:
The Key to Escape from Poverty
35
achievement level in Bahrain, Iran and Saudi Arabia and poor children deteriorating and rich
children improving at the same time in Oman and Qatar. This relationship also holds for the TIMSS
2011 science test for 6 of the 8 participating OIC countries. The gap between rich and poor
children increases from 4 th grade to 8th grade in TIMSS science test in Morocco, Bahrain, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates while it decreases in Iran and Kazakhstan.123
123 According to the data obtained from UNESCO’s WIDE Database.
Figure 9 Learning achievement in math (primary and lower secondary) by poorest and
richest wealth quintile
Percentage of children of primary school age and lower secondary age taking part in a TIMSS 2011
mathematics test and passing first level of difficulty
Note: Data is obtained from UNESCO’s WIDE Database.
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Primary
Lower secondary
Morocco
Bahrain
Iran, I. R.
Oman
Qatar
SaudiArabia
UnitedArab
Emirates
Kazakhst
an
0 20 40 60 80 100
% of children
Poorest Richest