BBC Learning English: Which Country Has the Best Schools?

Vocabulary and key concepts from the BBC 6 Minute English program regarding global education systems and the Pisa rankings.

Pisa rankings

Rankings based on tests carried out by the OECD every $3$ years to show which countries are the most effective at teaching maths, science, and reading.

OECD

The international organisation that carries out the Pisa ranking tests every $3$ years.

Contentious

Something that people might argue about; controversial.

Outpace

To go faster than someone else; to move at a higher pace.

Outperform

To perform better than someone or something else.

Rival

A competitor, specifically used in the context of economic competition between nations.

Knowledge economy

A service economy based on highly skilled industries that require highly educated workers, such as IT, finance, or advanced engineering.

Regardless

Without considering, or being influenced by; indicating that a specific factor is not important or not a problem.

Segregate

To separate and keep groups of people apart.

Singapore

The country that ranked at the top of the reading rankings in the $2022$ Pisa tests.

Ireland

The country that came second in the reading rankings during the $2022$ Pisa tests.

Estonia

A country mentioned as a successful education system that avoids segregating students by ability to ensure they all reach a certain standard.