According to a recent survey from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, more countries test below average in science than any other subject. And many of those countries have continued to slip in recent years.

Part of the problem is that schools around the globe do not place the same emphasis on science that they do on reading and math. As a result, many students enter middle school and high school without a basic foundation for scientific concepts.

For instance in the United States, the U.S. Department of Education has stated that in recent years, two-thirds of fourth-graders and four-fifths of high-school seniors have failed to reach proficiency levels in science.

Without a critical foundation, it’s much more difficult for students to learn more advanced scientific concepts – concepts needed for college entrance exams and any number of technological careers.