The structure of the general education system in Mongolia has recently been changed to include compulsory education to a higher number of students. Compulsory primary education previously covered a period of 4 years for students aged 8-12 and, after structural changes in 2005 and 2008, now includes children at the age of 6. Secondary education was previously not compulsory. Following the structural changes which are currently being implemented, both lower and higher secondary education will be compulsory and divided into 2 3-year programmes. Each student must pass a standardized test at the end of primary and upper secondary levels in order to receive a certificate upon completion (IBE 2011).
Access to primary and lower secondary education is very high except among the most vulnerable groups such as children in rural areas and nomadic cultures. The gross enrolment rate in 2009 for primary education was 107% and secondary education was 93% (UIS 2009). By changing the age of compulsory primary education and adding compulsory secondary education to the national plan, Mongolia is attempting to address the issues of access to general education programmes. The country’s Education Master Plan also seeks to address this by aiming to increase enrolment and reduce dropouts by 2015 (Government of Mongolia 2006).
As the country is making significant reforms and structural changes to the education system, the issue of quality becomes a major concern. With increasing attention paid to equality of access in Mongolia, it will be important to retain a focus on improving quality of education. Main concerns for primary education include high dropout rates with a particularly high dropout rate for grade 1 (14.5% in 2007) and a high repetition rate for grade 1. The main issues surrounding secondary education include: high dropouts particularly among rural boys during the transition from primary to secondary; quality and relevance of textbooks; textbook design and revision; availability of boarding schools in rural areas; child protection issues at school and dormitories; a non-violent/child-friendly environment; assessment of student attainment; parents and civil participation; and school funding formulas and shortage of good teachers in rural areas (UNESCO 2008).
The National Assessment of Students’ achievement (NASA) was conducted in 2005 among students at the end of basic education (grade 8) in mathematics and civic education, based on the adaptation to the local context of 2 international tests, TIMSS and CIVED. The average learning achievement for mathematics and civic education was 50% and 47% respectively, with large disparities between urban and rural areas. Adolescents perform particularly poorly in the skills that have the greatest demand in the labour market (IBE 2011).
The MECS is the central administrative body that formulates national educational policy and sets the standards for each level of formal education. Provincial Education and Culture Departments are responsible for the implementation of national policies and standards, and developing the assessment and examination tests and results (IBE 2011).
The MECS has started the process of revising education standards and a set of new standards has been published. However, the new education standards have not yet taken into account the need to modernize the curriculum framework. Teachers, parents and textbook authors find the standards too complex and difficult to translate into clear student competencies. The most serious concern is the widening gap in learning environments and educational outcomes of students from different socio-economic backgrounds (UNESCO 2008).
