Your son must have been in a very weak class. In the latest international study of reading and mathematics (PISA) involving 72 countries only one country beat Canadian students in reading skills (Singapore) and only 6 outperformed Canadian students in mathematics  (Singapore, Hong Kong–China, Macao–China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, BSJG – China). We also did well in Science ranking fourth in the world behind  Singapore, Japan, and Estonia.