A major new survey indicates that Irish 15-year-olds are ahead of most of their counterparts when it comes to ability in science and reading.
The study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that the Irish education system was more equitable than others.
Identical tests in maths, reading and science were given to 250,000 15-year-olds across 41 countries. 4,000 Irish teenagers took part.
In science and reading, the Irish students scored significantly higher than average while performance in maths was at the OECD average.
Findings also show that Ireland appears to have a fairer education system with less disparity in the results of students who attend different schools.
According to the study, Ireland's weaker students manage to achieve comparatively good standards. But at the other end of the scale, compared to other countries, high achieving students in Ireland do not seem to be doing as well as they could.
