Abstract

This paper sets out to examine the application of a Western construct of the three primary purposes of national summative assessment to post-Soviet context undergoing educational reform. These purposes are defined as assessment for: learning; certification and school accountability (Black, 1998). Research among school teachers and students in Kazakhstan resulted in qualitative data comprising 51 interviews and focus groups obtained from various types of schools. The dataset was designed to satisfy research questions on how the three purposes were met by the current national school-leaving assessment tool, the Unified National Test (UNT). A fourth area of discussion was how continuity of assessment was managed between the school system and a newly Bologna Process-compliant higher education sector (EHEA, 2012). Results indicated that the UNT was unable to satisfy all three purposes effectively, or to prepare students adequately in a learning-outcomes approach to assessment. Authors: Dr Liz Winter (FoE), Dr Daniel Torrano (NUGSE), Dr Ros McLellan (FoE) with assistance from Daurenbek Kuleimenov, Arailym Soltanbekova and Madina Tynybayeva (NUGSE).