In Denmark, a total of 7,481 pupils from 339 educational institutions participated in PISA 2012, where the main domain was mathematics. The results of PISA 2012 were published on 3 December 2013. The study showed that Denmark was in general maintaining its position compared with the PISA study conducted three years previously. We had made a little progress in reading, but scored slightly worse in mathematics and science. The Danish pupils were still slightly above the international average in mathematics, but the number of pupils who performed poorly in mathematics had increased and the number of top scores had decreased.
Brief summary of the main results of PISA 2012
- In mathematics, which is a main area of PISA 2012, Danish pupils did well measured in relation to the OECD average. However, their position had declined since the previous PISA statistics.
- There were significant changes with regard to the very skilled pupils and the less skilled pupils in mathematics.
- In 2012 there were significantly more pupils at the bottom of the mathematics scale and significantly fewer at the top in comparison to the study from 2009.
- In PISA 2012, only 10% of the pupils were at the two best levels in terms of their mathematics competences – the corresponding figure in 2009 was 15.9%
- 16.9% of the pupils were at the bottom of the scale in 2012 – the corresponding figure in 2009 was 15.4%.
- In the natural sciences, Danish pupils declined slightly in relation to 2009. In a comparison with the other Nordic countries, Denmark was below Finland (although Finland had declined over the past two PISA studies), but above Norway, Sweden and Iceland.
- Danish ninth-grade pupils still had an average position in relation to the OECD reading average. There was a slight tendency for the proportion of poor readers to decrease – in 2012 they made up 15%, while in 2000 they amounted to 18%. On the other hand, fewer strong readers have appeared. In 2012 they made up 5%, while in 2000 they amounted to 8%.
Reports (in Danish):
