Frontiers in Educational Research, 2026, 9(2); doi: 10.25236/FER.2026.090213.
Feng-Jui Wu
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has become one of the most influential international comparative measures of educational quality, profoundly impacting national education policies worldwide. Germany’s experience is a seminal case. The so-called “PISA shock,” triggered by the country’s unexpectedly poor performance in the 2000 survey, led to a fundamental overhaul of its secondary education system. This paper examines the subsequent PISA-driven policy shifts in Germany, analyzing the systemic move towards curricular reform, standardization, accountability, and targeted equity measures. The analysis reveals a dual-edged impact: while reforms demonstrably raised standards and improved average student outcomes, they also introduced significant challenges related to narrowed curricula, the pressures of high-stakes testing, and persistent socio-economic inequities. This study concludes that the influence of international benchmarks like PISA is potent but complex, requiring policymakers to strategically balance external performance pressures with a holistic and equitable vision for education.
PISA, Educational Policy Impact, German Secondary Education, Curriculum and Governance Reform, Educational Equity
Feng-Jui Wu. The Impact of International Measures, such as PISA, on National Education Policy: Focus on the German Secondary Education System. Frontiers in Educational Research (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 2: 105-110. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2026.090213.
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