In a recent series of exams, United States eighth graders scored 25th in math among their peer group in competing nations. In science they scored 14th. This is further evidence that the United States if falling further and further behind in both educating their children and in the world economy. The leading nations in science are Singapore and Taiwan while in math South Korea and Taiwan were on top. Typically Asian nations as well as Finland and England far outpaced the United States.
The importance of science and math education cannot be underscored enough. The basis of the United States wealth and position within the world community after WWII is based on the fact that the children of America received the best education in the world at that time. This investment in education allowed the baby boomer generation to thrive and to grow up to rule the world economy. However, that generation has failed to afford that same education to the generations that followed. Instead of investing in education they continue to cut corners and relegate the importance of education to a minuscule faction of a governmental budget.
In direct opposition other nations are putting more and more money into education. China has increased pay to educators. The fact that the united states is falling behind is even more worrisome when taking into account that the united states economy is now primarily based on a knowledge based economy so when the generational shift takes over and the united states is overshadowed by foreign counterparts there is not much of a manufacturing basis to fall back on.
Without restructuring and focus on math and science the United States may face a crisis in the coming decades if they are unable to compete for top jobs in the global economy. Not to mention how U.S. consumers will begin relying on the development of technology by other countires, rather than the expertise of our own citizens.