Shanghai sets fast pace for reform

Students ranked world's first in math, science and reading

The top performance of Shanghai students in a prestigious global academic test has been good news to the country's education authorities, who have long sought to make positive changes in China's education system.

A pioneer in education reform, Shanghai has good reason to celebrate. For the second time, its students scored first in the world in mathematics, science and reading in the Program for International Student Assessment, which has been dubbed "the World Cup of education".