Education Minister praises Bahraini students' unprecedented achievements in TIMSS 2019

Manama, Dec. 8 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain has achieved an unprecedented educational accomplishment in the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2019 (TIMSS 2019) exams, which were announced today by the Amsterdam-based International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The report, in which 64 countries participated, showed the performance of Bahraini students going up from the low-intermediate benchmark to the intermediate-high benchmark, according to international standards, thanks to the increase in the students’ scores in mathematics and science compared to the previous cycles. Bahrain ranked first Arab country in the fourth and eighth grade science tests, as well as the mathematics tests for the eighth grade. It also ranked second Arab country in the fourth grade’s mathematics, just one mark behind the first country. In a statement, Education Minister, Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi, said that that the kingdom’s outstanding results at the international tests, conducted every four years for the fourth and eighth grade students, reflect the advanced level reached by education in Bahrain thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s constant care, noting that such tests measure countries’ progress in education. The minister congratulated the participating students and their schools, commending the dedicated efforts exerted by the relevant educators at the Ministry of Education and schools, which contributed to attaining the unprecedented results. He affirmed that the participation in such international tests aims to provide a database for making the educational decisions and implementing activities that contribute to developing the school curricula and improving the teaching of two subjects. He added that the results of such international tests represent the basic indicators in the fields of education and human development used by international organisations, such as the UN, the World Bank, the UNESCO and the Economic Development Organisation.