Transitions to K–12 Education Systems: Experiences from Five Case Countries

Abstract

With more than 140 countries currently offering or in transition to a kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) school education system, this desk study explored the experiences of four countries—Mongolia, Philippines, Poland, and Turkey—and one Canadian province, Ontario, in preparing and implementing K–12 systems. Lessons learned from the five diverse jurisdictions are (i) align the education system with macro policies, (ii) view transition to K–12 as part of a package of reforms, (iii) prioritize improving student learning, (iv) consider teacher development as critical, (v) avoid high-stakes examinations, and (vi) focus on higher order curriculum and assessments.