National academic ability test results announced, correlation between number of books in stock and correct answer rate Possibility of reversing disparities through the use of ICT

On the 30th, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced the results of this year's national academic ability and learning situation survey (national academic ability test) for sixth-year elementary school students and third-year junior high school students by prefecture and designated city. Regarding the average correct answer rate and score distribution for each region, the ministry stated that ``no significant differences were observed from the national trends'' for any subject.

In the survey, when the economic situation of a household was indexed by the number of books in the home, a correlation was found that the lower the number of books in the home, the lower the percentage of correct answers in each subject.

On the other hand, in Akita, Tokyo, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures, even groups with few books at home were able to maintain relatively high academic ability. A detailed analysis revealed that in these local governments, there were many children in groups with small book collections who expressed confidence in using information and communication technology (ICT).

These municipalities also ranked relatively high in the distribution of average correct answer rates. The ministry says, ``By cultivating confidence in using ICT, there is a possibility that disparities in economic conditions can be overcome.''

The national achievement test was conducted from April to May in a written format for arithmetic/mathematics and Japanese, and in a ``CBT'' format for junior high school English, where each student used a terminal to answer. Starting next year, all subjects will shift to the CBT format, and from 2028 onwards, it will be possible to compare academic ability over time based on changes in scores.