22
Figure 2.2: Average Math, Reading and Science Scores in PISA and Reading Score in PIRLS
Source: Authors’ calculations based on WIDE and the WDI data.
Since African countries are poorly represented in TIMSS and PISA, Figures 2.3 and 2.4 plot data
on student performance in reading in SACMEQ and EGRA assessments respectively. In case of
SACMEQ 2012, of the two participating OIC countries, Mozambique is in the bottom quartile
while Uganda is behind five other non-OIC participating countries. Uganda also performs poorly
in EGRA assessments in terms of % share of students with zero scores in elementary standard
reading tests. The underperformance of African countries such as Uganda could be partly owing
to mass poverty. For instance, in the case of the EGRA assessment, the OIC country with the best
outcome is Jordan which has a much higher income compared to other participating OIC
countries. The country with the worst performance record in EGRA, Nigeria, also has a high level
of poverty.
ALB
ARE
IDN
JOR
KAZ
MYS
QAT
TUN
TUR
350 400 450 500 550
Maths score in PISA, 2012
0 20000 40000 60000 80000
GDP per capita, 2006-2010
OIC OECD
NON-OECD
ALB
ARE
IDNJOR KAZMYS
QAT
TUN
TUR
350
400
450
500
550
Reading score in PISA, 2012
0 20000 40000 60000 80000
GDP per capita, 2006-2010
OIC OECD
NON-OECD
ALB
ARE
IDN
JOR
KAZ
MYS
QAT
TUN
TUR
350
400
450
500
550
Science score in PISA, 2012
0 20000 40000 60000 80000
GDP per capita, 2006-2010
OIC OECD
NON-OECD
ARE
AZE
IDN
IRN
MAR
OMN
QAT SAU
300
400
500
600
Reading score in PIRLS, 2011
0 20000 40000 60000 80000
GDP per capita, 2006-2010
OIC OECD
NON-OECD