Kazakh Schoolchildren Surprise West With Math Knowledge

Better at math than most Brits

The scores of Kazakh schoolchildren in math and science tests have surprised Westerners who have finished behind them in an international study.

The project, "The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study" (TIMSS), was conducted by Boston College and, in the results announced last week, Kazakh children finished in fifth place in the math test and in 11th in the science portion.

Some 425,000 10-years-olds in 37 countries took part in the study.

Some Western media outlets reacted with surprise that their country's children finished lower than the Kazakhs.

For instance, the British "Daily Mail" published an article today titled "British Pupils 'Lead the Western World at Maths' -- But Borat's Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Puts Us To Shame." Britain finished seventh in math.

-- Kazakh Service