Education Minister Simon Birmingham says he is "embarrassed for Australia" that our maths and science results have fallen behind countries such as Kazakhstan and Slovenia in the latest international rankings.
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, released on Tuesday, shows Australia dropping 10 spots in year 4 mathematics since 2011. Australia also fell five spots in year 8 maths and year 4 science.
"I think they're appalling results," Senator Birmingham told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
"I am embarrassed for Australia that we are not performing at the standard that we would expect our schools to perform."
Senator Birmingham said he agreed with educational researchers that the results are a "wake-up call" for Australia to re-examine what is being taught in schools.
As he prepares to meet with state counterparts in a fortnight to discuss the future of schools funding, Senator Birmingham said the results do not justify more money.
"The conversation should be about how we will use record funding far more effectively in the future to get better outcomes for our children," he said.
Senator Birmingham said governments should focus on increasing the number of maths and science specialists in schools and rewarding high-performing teachers.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/i-am-embarrassed-for-australia-education-minis...
