It’s better to be a poor pupil in a rich country than the reverse
Country and family income are equally important for predicting students’ test scores
THERE ARE some things money can’t buy. Education, however, does not appear to be among them—at least as measured by performance on international exams. On average, pupils in wealthy countries obtain vastly higher test scores than those in developing ones. In turn, strong students tend to become productive workers, making the mostly rich economies they join richer still.
This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “A rising tide”
More from Graphic detail
A short history of Syria, in maps
The most influential people, groups and events that shaped Syria’s role in the Middle East
Is Javier Milei’s economic gamble working?
Inflation has plunged in Argentina, but some vital goods have soared in price
How to make sense of 2024’s wild temperatures
Our climate team highlight four charts and two maps
What New York’s congestion charge could teach the rest of America
Lighter traffic in some parts of the city is a promising start. Will it continue?
The secret to one of Europe’s best-performing stockmarkets
Its economy is mired in gloom, but its stock exchange is the envy of Europe
Drones spotted on America’s east coast highlight a bigger problem
Unidentified objects can be dangerous, but not in the ways you might think