UK News 04-12-2001 Britain`s Kids Brightest In The World... Nearly who: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development what: Says Britain is highly-rated in world schools league table for reading and writing, maths and science when: Yesterday snippet: "British teenagers are among the most able in the world," says The Guardian, reporting on a new international survey "which compares the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science." "The study of 32 countries, by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), combines praise for the UK`s performance with a warning that there is still a class divide in our education system," says The Independent. The Sun exaggerates Britain`s success story with the headline "Our kids are the brainiest" before admitting that we came seventh in reading, eighth in maths and fourth in science. But the top scorers were all remarkably close and there is real cause for celebration, says The Times, as the study shows "familiar shortcomings of British education, such as its long tail of underachievement, had all but disappeared". Writing in today`s Mirror, education secretary Estelle Morris claims "we`re top of the class" and "we`ve made real progress since 1997" while assuring as that she is "not [being] complacent for one moment". [... more]

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