Faroe Islands Teacher’s Association calls for educational adjustments after PISA results

It is true that the Faroe Islands participate in international PISA assessments and have their own national tests, despite discussions about the results being misleading.

This statement was made by the Teacher’s Association in an article in Skúlablaðið.

“Research and assessments can be valuable support if used correctly,” says Jacob Eli S. Olsen, Chairman of the Teacher’s Association.

Necessary Adjustments

The PISA assessment benchmarks the Faroe Islands’ school system against a model set by OECD. According to the Teacher’s Association, the Faroese public school system does not align well with this model.

“We must acknowledge this and make the necessary adjustments,” the chairman asserts.

Struggling with Calculators

A significant issue highlighted is that Faroese students struggle with mathematics, particularly in using calculators and dynamic geometry software. This was one of the main reasons for the poor PISA results in mathematics.

“The results correlate with what we observe in our mathematics teaching,” confirms Jacob Eli S. Olsen. “There are minimal expectations for using calculators or dynamic geometry software, both in the curriculum and in the final exams,” he adds.

Voices of Concern

When the results from the latest PISA assessment were released, some voiced that these findings were alarming for the public school system. It has been suggested that more than just excuses were needed to address this situation.

Members of the parliament, journalists, and others have also remarked that both students and teachers faced disappointment given the less-than-ideal PISA results.

The chairman of the Teacher’s Association describes the ongoing discussions about PISA and public schools as disheartening.

Collaboration with Teachers

The Teacher’s Association board is advocating for the involvement of teachers and school leaders in analyzing research results and implementing initiatives for the benefit of public education.

“Our agenda involves no decisions about teachers without including teachers. When matters concerning the teacher are discussed, the teacher must be involved,” states the chairman.