PISA as a political instrument: The history behind the formulation of the PISA programme

Abstract

The main focus of his historical analysis is on the development of international assessment as a
device for political governing.

Thus, the autor analyses the economic and political context which formed the background for
international assessment in general and PISA in particular. It traces the genesis of educational
assessment back to the 19th century and identifies the early decades of the 20th century as a first
milestone in the development of educational assessment, when the idea of the evaluation as a
base for educational reforms was established and educational assessment was increasingly linked
to social positions and salaries