View in EDS

Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Education Quality in the Western Balkans Based on Insights from the PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 Studies. Education Working Paper No. 7

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Education Quality in the Western Balkans Based on Insights from the PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 Studies. Education Working Paper No. 7
Language: English
Authors: Tigran Shmis, Paul Cahu, Lucia Brajkovic, James Gresham, World Bank
Source: World Bank. 2025.
Availability: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 77
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Descriptors: Educational Quality, Foreign Countries, International Assessment, Achievement Tests, Secondary School Students, Educational Improvement, Teaching Methods, School Closing, Handheld Devices, Telecommunications, Technology Uses in Education, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Readiness, Academic Achievement, Time Factors (Learning), Achievement Gap, Gender Differences, Outcomes of Education, Grade 4, Elementary School Students
Geographic Terms: Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Program for International Student Assessment, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study
Abstract: Western Balkan countries are consistent participants in international learning assessments like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS). This publication provides an analysis of the recently published data of the PISA 2022 and PIRLS 2021 studies. This study identified four key areas where the performance of Western Balkan education systems could be improved. They include (a) duration of learning in schools, (b) teaching practices, (c) school preparedness, and (d) use of smartphones in schools induced by COVID-related school closures that serve as a major distractor from learning. Based on the analysis, the publication provides policy options and recommendations on advancing the education systems of Western Balkan countries to improve learning outcomes that are critically important for the future well-being of students and the economic development of these countries.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679768
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679768
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED679768
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Education Quality in the Western Balkans Based on Insights from the PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 Studies. Education Working Paper No. 7
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tigran+Shmis%22">Tigran Shmis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paul+Cahu%22">Paul Cahu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucia+Brajkovic%22">Lucia Brajkovic</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22James+Gresham%22">James Gresham</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22World+Bank%22">World Bank</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22World+Bank%22"><i>World Bank</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 77
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Assessment%22">International Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Improvement%22">Educational Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Closing%22">School Closing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Handheld+Devices%22">Handheld Devices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telecommunications%22">Telecommunications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Readiness%22">School Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+Factors+%28Learning%29%22">Time Factors (Learning)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gap%22">Achievement Gap</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Serbia%22">Serbia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Montenegro%22">Montenegro</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Macedonia%22">Macedonia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Albania%22">Albania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kosovo%22">Kosovo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bosnia+and+Herzegovina%22">Bosnia and Herzegovina</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Program+for+International+Student+Assessment%22">Program for International Student Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Progress+in+International+Reading+Literacy+Study%22">Progress in International Reading Literacy Study</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Western Balkan countries are consistent participants in international learning assessments like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS). This publication provides an analysis of the recently published data of the PISA 2022 and PIRLS 2021 studies. This study identified four key areas where the performance of Western Balkan education systems could be improved. They include (a) duration of learning in schools, (b) teaching practices, (c) school preparedness, and (d) use of smartphones in schools induced by COVID-related school closures that serve as a major distractor from learning. Based on the analysis, the publication provides policy options and recommendations on advancing the education systems of Western Balkan countries to improve learning outcomes that are critically important for the future well-being of students and the economic development of these countries.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED679768
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679768
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 77
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: International Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Closing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Handheld Devices
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Telecommunications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Readiness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Time Factors (Learning)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 4
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Serbia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Montenegro
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Macedonia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Albania
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kosovo
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bosnia and Herzegovina
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program for International Student Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Progress in International Reading Literacy Study
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Education Quality in the Western Balkans Based on Insights from the PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 Studies. Education Working Paper No. 7
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: World Bank
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tigran Shmis
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Paul Cahu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lucia Brajkovic
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: James Gresham
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: World Bank
              Type: main
ResultId 1