OECD 국제 학업성취도 평가 결과와 국가경쟁력

초록

This study analyzes the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) from 2000 to 2022 and empirically examines the relationship between academic achievement and national competitiveness. Although Korea's average mathematics score has consistently remained above those of participating countries and economies since the inception of the assessment, the proportion of low-performing students is higher than that of comparable countries, while the proportion of middle-performing students is relatively smaller. This distribution has negatively affected the overall average score. Furthermore, Korean students spend significantly more time studying than their counterparts in other countries, while the learning efficiency index is among the lowest in the OECD. This finding suggests that educational outcomes are achieved through substantial time investment rather than through efficient learning processes. Using an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model to estimate the relationship between PISA mathematics scores and national competitiveness rankings published by the IMD, the study finds that, for most countries examined, higher mathematics scores are associated with stronger national competitiveness. However, this relationship is not statistically significant in Korea. These findings suggest that Korea’s high mathematics performance may be attributable not primarily to superior problem-solving abilities, but rather to the extensive time devoted to test-oriented learning aimed at achieving high scores on university entrance examinations. Given Korea’s notably low learning efficiency and the continuing decline in the working-age population, the persistence of this issue may hinder the development of human capital capable of conducting efficient research and development activities and driving technological innovation in the future. From this perspective, rather than relying on repetitive learning aimed at achieving high assessment scores, the education system should shift its focus toward developing the problem-identification, problem-solving, and creativity skills necessary to cultivate human capital capable of driving long-term innovation. Such a shift would facilitate human capital formation and ultimately enhance the competitiveness of both firms and the nation.

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