ABSTRACT
When 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results were going to be released in December 2013, many education systems went into a frenzy, eagerly waiting for what is now similar to a football World Cup among education systems. When the results were released, there were cheers from some and moans from others. The East Asian systems were hailed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as shining examples of educational success. Finland was still there at the top but showed signs of slipping in the rankings. The United States and various European countries were given a beating. Some newspapers headlines screamed about the murder of education in the West and others called the PISA results a wake-up call for them.
