Grade 9 students score only 45% average on natural sciences diagnostic test
Data compiled by the State Education Development Agency shows that last year's grade 9 diagnostic test in natural sciences produced an average result of just 45%, with students performing better on knowledge-based tasks than on skills-based ones.
The State Education Development Agency (VIAA) has compiled the results of last year's diagnostic test in natural sciences taken by grade 9 students across Latvia. According to the collected data, the average nationwide score reached only 45% of the maximum possible result.
A gap between task types
The agency's figures point to a clear pattern in how students handled different kinds of tasks. Students performed comparatively better on questions that tested knowledge and understanding of natural science topics. By contrast, tasks that required applying practical skills — using acquired knowledge to solve concrete problems rather than simply recalling facts — proved more difficult.
Why the results matter
Diagnostic tests serve as a tool for the education system to track how well-prepared students are at a given stage of learning and to identify areas where teaching needs to be strengthened. The relatively low average result — just above the 45% mark — together with the notable gap between knowledge-based and skills-based performance, suggests that students find it easier to absorb theoretical material than to apply it in practice.
The VIAA-compiled data on the grade 9 natural sciences diagnostic test offers insight into nationwide trends in education and could serve as a basis for future decisions on improving curriculum content or teaching methods.
