TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, today responded to the results of the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The tests were sat in 2009 by students in all 34 OECD member states and assessed the reading, maths and science levels of the world’s 15 year-olds. Out of 34 OECD members, the UK came twentieth in a league table of the world’s state schools. Amongst the OECD countries, South Korea took top place, Canada came third and the USA came fourteenth.
Dr. Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, commented:
“The latest PISA results for the UK are disappointing. They show that despite an increase in investment in education over recent years there has not been a commensurate improvement in results. In the PISA tests sat in 2000, Britain was a little above the OECD average for reading but the UK has now regressed to average. If the UK is to have a successful knowledge economy then the Government must ensure we have a highly educated workforce.”
The UK Coalition Government must drive up standards in areas including reading, mathematics and science to ensure that UK businesses, including the video games industry, have access to a highly skilled workforce.””