2024 Volume 2024 Issue 34 Pages 115-151
In 2019, a standardized academic achievement survey in mathematics, reading, and writing was conducted for fifth-grade students in six ASEAN countries, including Myanmar, and the results were released in 2020. Myanmar ranked in the middle of the six countries surveyed. The most important policy factor explaining academic achievements was the match between the language of instruction, the Myanmar language, and the language used by students at home. When the language at home was not the Myanmar language, students were clearly less proficient, especially in writing, but there were also differences in mathematics. The language problem was especially serious in the lower-achieving groups.
Factors that also contributed to improving academic achievement were increasing the students' positive perception toward school, fewer problematic behavior by teachers, availability of lesson time, a short commute time to school, a small grade size, and a good physical learning environment. Parents' active involvement in their children’s learning, expectations for their children’s education, and exemption from excessive household workload were also effective in improving academic achievement. Improvements can also be made through educational activities for parents.
