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PISA Video Series

Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education

A video series profiling policies and practices of education systems that demonstrate high or improving performance in the PISA tests.

Flanders (Belgium)

 

Offering choice in education systems to sustain a knowledge economy

Under Belgium's trilingual federal government Flanders, the Dutch-, or Flemish-speaking area, combines both regional and community powers to oversee an education system that is among the world's top performers.

Brazil

 

Creating and nurturing a laboratory of innovation and best practices

In a decentralized system dogged by uneven teacher quality, poor infrastructure and low student commitment, Brazil is using benchmarking to identify problems and drive reform.

Ontario (Canada)

 

Ensuring opportunities for students of all origins and backgrounds

Provincial governments run education in Canada, and Ontario shows how high-school students can do well whatever their family background, first language or place of birth.

Shanghai (China)

 

Raising standards by strong-performing schools helping weaker ones

A drive by Shanghai authorities to help low-performing schools and students placed the city's secondary-school students at the top of the PISA 2009 tests.

Finland

 

Maintaing a strongly supportive school system

Finland's schools are well-integrated in communities and teachers are highly committed, making it a top PISA performer with little variation among pupils of differing backgrounds.

Germany

 

Expanding educational opportunity to improve outcomes for every student

The 2001 "PISA shock" sparked a nationwide debate in Germany about the nation's school system and how to improve it.

Japan

 

Thinking independently about the challenges of modern society

To help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, Japan requires students to study topics from different viewpoints and draw links between what they observe.

Korea

 

Using ICT to make a successful education system even better

Building on the successes of its fast-developing ICT sector, Korea is using digital technology to stimulate a creative approach to learning that gives students access to education materials wherever and whenever they want.

Netherlands

 

Improving a strong education system by developing teachers

In a drive to raise the quality of classroom teaching and boost student performance, Dutch education authorities are encouraging teachers to learn from each other through a process of peer review.

Poland

 

Restructuring the school system for better education opportunities for all

After overhauling its school system, Poland has raised performance to similar levels to the United States and Norway despite spending less than half of what those countries spend on education.

Portugal

 

Reorganizing the school network for better facilities and new opportunities

Faced with widespread underperformance and inequalities of opportunity and outcomes, Portugal is reorganizing and modernizing its educational network by grouping schools in 'clusters' that offer better facilities for all.

Singapore

 

Building a strong and effective teaching force

A strong education system has enabled Singapore to develop a modern, vibrant economy with well-trained and highly motivated teachers central to its success.

All videos produced jointly by the OECD and the Pearson Foundation