Ireland has come 15th in a list of 76 countries when it comes to maths and science skills.
A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development measures the economic impact youngsters' skills have on an economy.
Asian countries occupy the top five spots, while the UK is in 20th place and the US is in 28th.
The report will provide evidence for next week's World Education Forum of how achieving education targets can deliver economic gains.
Singapore
Hong Kong
Korea
Japan
Taiwan
Finland
Estonia
Switzerland
Netherlands
Canada
Poland
Vietnam
Germany
Australia
Ireland
Belgium
New Zealand
Slovenia
Austria
United Kingdom
Czech Republic
Denmark
France
Latvia
Norway
Luxembourg
Spain
Italy
United States
Portugal