The development of school curriculum in many countries is still very centralized. The National School Curriculum as a program of learning is a highly sensitive document as it contains the spiration of the nation, preparing its citizen to face future challenges. It is a document of hope. However, much of the excitement during the adoption of the curriculum documents has diminished and has been replaced by disappointment in the implementation stage, as there are gaps between the aspiration and the actual implementation. These gaps are inevitable as there is no perfect system that ensures seamless coordination between the different sectors involved. Often, there is a problem with the orchestration of a large-scale systemic change, and a failure to deliberate human factors sufficiently. This paper looks into the various factors influencing curriculum implementation, especially looking at it as a change process.
The Black Box of Nordic Education Held Against the Light of Large-Scale International Assessment Resources—A Critical Commentary