UAE students top Arab world in science, maths report

The UAE has ranked first in the Arab world in the TIMSS 2023 International Report, which measures student progress in grades four and eight in science and mathematics.

This study, conducted every four years, involved over 64 countries.

Compared to the 2019 results, UAE students showed remarkable improvement in 2023. Fourth-grade students saw a 17-point increase in mathematics and a 22-point increase in science.

Eighth-grade students also performed better, with a 15-point rise in mathematics and a 14-point increase in science.

The report also revealed significant improvements in student achievement worldwide, especially at the low international benchmarks for mathematics and science.

It also showed that, compared to previous years, there are larger achievement gaps between boys and girls, especially in fourth-grade mathematics.

The findings suggest a clear link between home resources and student performance in mathematics and science.

The report's release took place on December 4 at the Museum of the Future in Dubai. The event was organised in partnership with the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Centre at Boston College, and the UAE's Ministry of Education.

UAE Minister of Education, Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, congratulated UAE students on their exceptional performance, emphasising that the results reflect the ministry's ongoing efforts to boost the country's ranking in international educational studies.

The minister also highlighted the importance of such studies, which help monitor educational development and shape global strategies for progress.

TIMSS and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) are key international assessments that track trends in student achievement in mathematics, science, and reading.