Drivers of student performance: insights from Asia

Using the PISA data set, McKinsey consultancy has created five regional reports that consider what drives student performance. In Asia, 13 countries and autonomous territories participated in the 2015 PISA. For the analysis, McKinsey divided these into three categories based on performance. High-performing Asia is composed of China (specifically the cities of Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai), Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Oceania refers to Australia and New Zealand. Developing Asia is composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. High-performing Asia has high yet flat achievement; Oceania performs generally well, but scores appear to be declining; and Developing Asia is improving, but slowly and from a low base. This report examines four specific factors that found to be particularly important to student outcomes: mindsets, teaching practices, information technology, and early childhood education.