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Press Releases 2004

For immediate release

December 14, 2004

CURRICULUM FOR ONTARIO'S GRADE 8's MOVE THEM INTO

INTERNATIONAL TOP TEN IN MATH AND SCIENCE

 

(Queen's Park)                  Frank Klees, MPP for Oak Ridges and Education Critic for the P.C. Caucus, questioned why Education Minister Gerard Kennedy isn't publicly praising Ontario's grades 4 and 8 students for their outstanding improvement in Math and Science following the release today of the results from the " Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 2003" .

"Our grade 8 students have moved into the top ten internationally in both Math and Science, with Singapore and Korea" said Klees.   "What an achievement.   The students, who wrote these tests in both 1999 and 2003, have shown steady and significant improvement through both test years.   We need to continue encouraging our students to achieve excellence."

Testing involved 50 countries and jurisdictions.   In each of the four test categories for Grades 4 and 8 in Math and Science, Ontario scored significantly higher than the international average.   Ontario's students scored higher than the United States in Grade 8 Math and Science and in Grade 4 Science. They also passed the scores attained by their peers in the province of Quebec in Grade 4 Math and Science and Grade 8 Science.

"Let's not get so caught up with political ideology and dismantling Conservative education policies that we throw the baby out with the bathwater," said Klees.   "These students deserve recognition by the Minister and this government.   Why isn't the Minister trumpeting these results from the rooftops?" Klees asked.     "This should be a day to celebrate our student's abilities, champion the standards they have achieved and their abilities to compete internationally with the world's best."

The Ministry of Education has not posted the results of the Grades 4 and 8 Math and Science Study on it's public government website.   The test results can be accessed at www.eqao.com .

 

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For further information

Frank Klees, MPP

416-325-7316