Japanese high school students have slipped in the latest international ranking of reading and mathematics skills by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.
In the first international student assessment of 15-year-olds conducted by the OECD in 2000, Japanese students came first in mathematics and eighth in reading. In 2003, they tumbled to sixth place for math and 14th for reading.
Paris-based OECD conducts the Program for International Student Assessment test every three years. The results of the test, which measured students' performance in mathematics, science, problem-solving and reading, were released Tuesday.