PARIS - FINNISH students scored the best in science, according to an OECD education report released yesterday, while South Koreans took the top spot in reading and Taiwanese students were the smartest at maths.

The 2006 Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) surveyed 400,000 15-year-olds in 57 countries and cities, testing their science knowledge on topics such as climate change, genetically modified crops and the importance of physical exercise. Singapore was not part of the survey.

The survey, which is carried out every three years, also tested students on maths and reading, but put a special focus on science this time because of its growing importance in technology-based economies.

Finland ranked top in the science survey with an average score of 563, beating Hong Kong into second place with 542 and Canada into third with a score of 534.

The United States, Spain and Italy were among 32 countries that were classed as statistically below the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average.

'In today's technology-based societies, understanding fundamental scientific concepts and theories, and the ability to structure and solve scientific problems, are more important than ever,' the report said.

It urged governments to strengthen their science staff in schools to encourage student enthusiasm and to make sure that those who may not end up working in science still continue to study some of the subject.

The report said that only a minority of students wanted to work in the field of science. It also found that students from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to think that science was important.

The students mostly carried out pencil and paper tasks in the tests, but in three countries, some students were given extra questions via computers.

South Korean teenagers were the world leaders at reading with an average score of 556, ahead of Finland in second place at 547 and Hong Kong in third at 536.

'In Korea, performance on the reading literacy scale is above that of any other OECD country, even higher than in Finland, which was the top performer in reading in Pisa 2000 and Pisa 2003,' the report said.

It noted that South Korea had improved mainly by significantly raising performance among more able students, while performance at the lower end of the scale was largely unchanged.

Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Norway were among those countries significantly below the OECD average in reading.

In mathematics, Taipei came first with an average score of 549, with Finland in second at 548 and Hong Kong a joint third with South Korea at 547. The US, Italy, Spain and Portugal were below the OECD average.

'The wide disparities in student performance in mathematics within most countries suggest that excellence throughout systems still remains a remote goal, and that countries need to serve a wide range of student abilities,' the report said.

REUTERS

Subject toppers

Science

1. Finland (average score of 563)

2. Hong Kong (542)

3. Canada (534)

Reading

1. South Korea (556)

2. Finland (547)

3 Hong Kong (536)

Mathematics

1. Taipei (549)

2. Finland (548)

3. Hong Kong and South Korea ( 547)

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