PISA as a Mirror of Education Quality: Achievements of Kyzylorda Region and the Outlook for 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17605/cajssh.v7i1.1256Keywords:
PISA, educational reform, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, science literacy, international assessments, educational policy, functional literacy, PISA 2025Abstract
This paper investigates how Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) influences the educational advancement of Kazakhstan in general and Kyzylorda region in particular. The main focus is to evaluate how the region fared in the 2022 PISA results – and what that means for future policy directions. Against a largely tenuous past, Kyzylorda saw an even larger 28-point gain in science literacy, with the proportion of low-performing students also decreasing by 18%. This milestone reflects the region's successful educational reforms that adopt strategic support for struggling students and focus on inclusive models of teaching. It was a qualitative analysis based on the region s PISA results over the comparison to national standards and a comparison to international standards. The study shows that the gains in scientific literacy are aligned with international standards for best practices, especially in terms of the types of striving PISA countries. The paper reiterates the need for local education policy to reflect PISA's principles, and highlights the role of even stronger science literacy in supporting performance in PISA 2025. The findings point to the need for ongoing attention to functional literacy, teacher preparation and evidence-based reforms that can secure lasting educational gains. This research study adds to the literature on the usage of international assessments to inform educational reforms in developing contexts.
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