The 2025 Education Review: A Global Overview of School Systems

Education systems introduced major changes during 2025 in curriculum design, assessment, school funding, digital learning, and vocational education. Some measures were implemented during the year, while others were announced or prepared in 2025 for a later start date. That timing matters when comparing reforms: in Sweden, for example, school-level restrictions on mobile phones existed before the new national rule, but the nationwide whole-school-day collection requirement did not take effect until 1 August 2026.

Middle East and Eurasia: Curriculum, Assessment, and AI

Several education systems in the region changed how students are assessed while adding technology-related subjects, digital learning programs, and new administrative tools.

Turkey: The Türkiye Century Education Model

Turkey continued the staged rollout of the Türkiye Century Education Model in 2025. Programs first introduced in grades 1, 5, and 9 during the 2024-2025 school year were extended to grades 2, 6, and 10 for 2025-2026, so the model covered grades 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, and 10 during the new school year. The curriculum places more emphasis on skill-based learning and process-oriented assessment rather than relying only on end results. Source

• Development reporting: Preschool education uses Skill Acquisition Reports, while primary schools use Development Reports that describe progress in areas such as participation, learning processes, and social development.
• Turkish National Intelligence Scale (TUZÖ): MEB introduced the AI-based, interactive psychological assessment tool for identifying cognitive abilities and special talents among children and young people. The ministry’s 2025 review describes the tool as designed for ages 6-22. Source
• Vocational specialization: Gastronomy-focused high schools were developed to connect upper-secondary vocational education with tourism and food-service careers, including specialized courses related to culinary culture and global cuisine.

MEB also published its AI in Education Policy Document and Action Plan for 2025-2029. The plan contains four goals, 15 policy areas, and 40 action steps covering uses of AI in teaching, school administration, teacher development, student learning, and data-informed decision-making. A dedicated AI and Big Data Applications unit was also established within the ministry. Source

United Arab Emirates: AI Curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 12

The UAE introduced Artificial Intelligence education across the K-12 system beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. The Ministry of Education describes the curriculum as covering all educational stages from kindergarten to Grade 12, with content becoming more advanced as students progress through school. Source

• Early years: Students begin with age-appropriate awareness of patterns, technology, data, and basic AI concepts.
• Primary and middle grades: Learning moves toward data, algorithms, digital problem-solving, and responsible use of AI systems.
• Secondary grades: Students work with more advanced applications, ethical questions, analysis, and practical AI projects.

The UAE curriculum is organized around seven main themes and is intended to combine technical understanding with responsible use, real-world applications, problem-solving, and awareness of how AI systems affect individuals and society. The Ministry of Education also expanded teacher preparation and professional development to support classroom delivery.

Saudi Arabia: AI Skills and Digital Learning

Saudi Arabia continued expanding AI skills and digital education during 2025 through Ministry of Education programs and partnerships. The national SAMAI initiative, supported by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Saudi Data and AI Authority, passed one million participants trained in artificial intelligence during 2025. School and university students were among the groups able to participate. Source

Digital learning also remained embedded in the school system through the Ministry’s Madrasati platform, which serves more than six million students and hundreds of thousands of teachers. These developments are better described as broad AI-skills and digital-learning expansion rather than as a single new mandatory AI curriculum covering every Saudi student. Source

East Asia: Entrance Exams and Digital Learning

Education changes across East Asia included university entrance reform, AI instruction, adaptive learning systems, and the continued expansion of digital teaching materials.

China: Gaokao Reform and Beijing AI Instruction

China continued implementation of the Gaokao “3+1+2” model across additional provincial-level regions in 2025. Under this structure, students take Chinese, Mathematics, and a foreign language, choose Physics or History as a primary elective, and then select two additional subjects from options such as Chemistry, Biology, Geography, and Politics. The structure replaces the older fixed humanities-versus-science division with more subject combinations. Source

AI education policy also expanded, although the often-cited eight-hour annual requirement applies specifically to Beijing, not automatically to every school in China. The Beijing Municipal Education Commission ordered primary and secondary schools across the city to provide AI general education beginning with the autumn 2025 term, with at least eight class hours per academic year. Schools may teach the content as a separate course or integrate it into subjects such as information technology, science, general technology, practical activities, and labour education. Source

The Beijing plan differentiates instruction by age. Primary schools emphasize experience and introductory concepts, junior high schools focus on understanding and using AI in learning and daily life, and senior high schools place more weight on practical application and innovation. A separate local curriculum outline was issued in June 2025 to support implementation. Source

Japan: Digital Textbooks and High School Tuition Support

Japan continued the phased use of learner digital textbooks in 2025 rather than replacing printed textbooks outright. MEXT states that digital textbooks have been introduced gradually across elementary and lower-secondary schools while paper textbooks remain part of the system. In fiscal 2025, participating schools received digital materials for English and Mathematics in selected grades. Source

This differs from the claim that Japan made fully digital textbooks the default official textbook format in 2025. MEXT continued studying future textbook formats during the year, and a working-group report on books that combine digital and printed forms was published in September 2025. The legal changes allowing newer textbook formats came later. Source

Japan also maintained national tuition support for high school students. The standard support amount for many high school programs is equivalent to ¥9,900 per month, or ¥118,800 annually, with additional support available under defined conditions for students attending private schools. Source

South Korea: AI Digital Textbooks

South Korea introduced AI Digital Textbooks for selected grades and subjects in 2025. The Ministry of Education approved 76 AI digital textbooks for use in English, Mathematics, and Informatics, initially covering grades 3-4 in elementary school, grade 1 in middle school, and grade 1 in high school. Source

The materials were designed to support personalized learning through digital tools while teachers remained responsible for instruction and classroom decisions. The rollout was accompanied by teacher preparation and upgrades to school digital infrastructure.

Europe: Reading, Assessment, and Compulsory Schooling

European education changes in 2025 included more support for printed materials and school libraries, changes to assessment, curriculum revisions, and extensions to compulsory participation in education.

Sweden: Books, Libraries, and the National Phone Rule

Sweden continued its shift toward more printed learning materials in 2025. The government grant for purchasing textbooks and teachers’ guides reached SEK 755 million in 2025. Separate funding was provided for literature, while changes to the Education Act that took effect on 1 July 2024 strengthened pupils’ access to textbooks and other teaching materials. Source

Another 2025 change concerned school libraries. From 1 July 2025, pupils gained strengthened access to staffed school libraries under changes to Swedish education law. Government funding was allocated to improve staffing and library provision alongside the broader effort to increase reading and access to printed materials. Source

The mobile-phone timeline is separate. During 2025, Sweden did not yet have a nationwide legal requirement for every compulsory school to collect pupils’ phones for the entire school day. Many schools already operated local phone restrictions, and existing rules allowed schools to limit or collect devices in defined situations. The government was preparing a nationwide rule, but it had not yet taken effect.

The national whole-school-day rule took effect on 1 August 2026. Skolverket states that schools in the compulsory forms of education, along with out-of-school centres and open leisure-time activities, are to collect pupils’ mobile phones at the beginning of the school day and return them at the end. Exceptions can be made when a phone is required for educational purposes, individual support, or another permitted reason. Source

Finland: Higher-Education Application Fees

Finland introduced a €100 higher-education application fee from 1 January 2025 for applicants from outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland applying to Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programs. The Finnish National Agency for Education reported that the number of applicants to English-language programs fell sharply during the first 2025 joint application round, with the new fee identified as one factor behind the decline. Source

France: Curriculum Changes and the Brevet Timeline

France introduced several changes connected with the Choc des savoirs measures during 2025, but the Diplôme national du brevet (DNB) did not become a mandatory condition for moving into seconde that year. The Ministry of Education’s published schedule separates the 2025 changes, the Brevet 2026 assessment changes, and the later rule affecting direct progression to upper-secondary education. Source

For Brevet 2026, continuous assessment changed to 40% of the final result and terminal examinations to 60%. Continuous assessment is based on annual subject averages in grade 9 (3e). These changes concern how the diploma is calculated; they do not make the 2026 brevet a mandatory condition for entering seconde. Source

The direct-entry requirement is scheduled for Brevet 2027. According to the French Ministry of Education timetable, the DNB becomes mandatory for direct access to seconde générale, technologique ou professionnelle from the 2027 session. The former wording that described the brevet as already mandatory for high-school entry in 2025 therefore placed the measure two years too early. Source

France also began applying new French and Mathematics programs across several early and middle grades during the 2025 school year, while additional support in French and Mathematics continued in lower-secondary education.

United Kingdom: Curriculum and Qualification Updates

England’s Curriculum and Assessment Review continued during 2025, with an interim report published in March and the final report and government response published in November. Qualification changes also moved forward separately. Source

• T Levels: A Marketing T Level was introduced from September 2025 as part of the continued development of technical education in England. Source
• Natural History GCSE: Development work continued during 2025, but the qualification was still being prepared rather than already operating as a standard GCSE. Government consultation on proposed subject content followed in 2026.
• Wales: The first group of Made-for-Wales GCSEs began teaching in September 2025 as Wales moved into its redesigned qualification system.

Estonia: Education Obligation Extended to Age 18

Estonia replaced its previous school-attendance rule with a broader obligation to remain in education until age 18. The change applies from the 2025-2026 academic year and requires affected students who finish basic school to continue in general upper-secondary education, vocational education, or another qualifying pathway until they turn 18 or complete secondary or vocational education. Source

The reform was adopted by the Estonian parliament in December 2024 and began affecting the relevant student cohorts from September 2025. Estonia also continued its transition toward Estonian-language instruction during the school year.

The Americas: Testing, Funding, and Secondary Education

United States: Digital SAT and the End of ARP ESSER Funding

By 2025, the Digital SAT was established as the standard SAT format. The adaptive exam lasts about 2 hours and 14 minutes, substantially shorter than the former paper test. Source

Public-school budgets also entered the post-ESSER period. The federal deadline for obligating American Rescue Plan ESSER funds was 30 September 2024, meaning districts entered 2025 without the pandemic-era funding stream that had supported tutoring, staffing, technology, learning recovery, and other programs. Approved liquidation extensions could affect when some obligated funds were finally paid, but the main obligation period had ended. Source

Brazil: High School Reform

Brazil began implementing changes to upper-secondary education under the revised Novo Ensino Médio model in 2025. The required general education component was increased from 1,800 to 2,400 hours in regular high school, while the flexible pathway portion was reduced to 600 hours. The revised structure restored more time for subjects across Languages, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Human Sciences. Source

Asia-Pacific and Africa: Funding, Curriculum, and Vocational Skills

Australia: Better and Fairer Schools Agreement

Australia’s Better and Fairer Schools Agreement 2025-2034 began in 2025. The agreement puts government schools on a pathway toward receiving 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard rather than making every public school fully funded at that level immediately in 2025. Source

Under the full-funding agreement, the Australian Government is to increase its contribution for government schools to 25% of the SRS, with states and territories generally responsible for at least 75%. The funding transition operates over the life of the agreements and varies according to bilateral arrangements. This is more precise than describing all government schools as having reached 100% SRS funding on 1 January 2025.

Indonesia: Curriculum Adjustment and Deep Learning

Indonesia made curriculum adjustments for the 2025-2026 school year, but Kurikulum Merdeka did not become the sole mandatory national curriculum. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education states that both Kurikulum Merdeka and Kurikulum 2013 continued to operate during 2025-2026. Source

Regulation No. 13 of 2025 promoted a Deep Learning approach focused on stronger conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and reflection. It also introduced Coding and Artificial Intelligence as optional subjects that schools may provide according to their resources and that students may choose according to their interests. Initial implementation began gradually in selected grades from the 2025-2026 academic year.

Nigeria: Revised Curriculum and Vocational Education

Nigeria’s Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council lists a revised Basic Education Curriculum reduced to 10 subjects among its curriculum-development work. The council also provides revised curriculum materials for primary school and junior secondary education. Source

Vocational education received separate attention in 2025 through the Federal Ministry of Education’s TVET initiative, launched on 30 May. The program provides funded practical training in fields such as solar PV installation and maintenance, agriculture, automotive work, fashion design, carpentry, and other trades through accredited training centres. Source

These developments support stronger practical and employment-related education, but they should not be reduced to the unsupported claim that every Nigerian graduating student became legally required in 2025 to obtain one specific vocational skill alongside an academic diploma.

Cross-Country Patterns in the 2025 Changes

AI Education Took Different Forms

China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea all expanded AI-related education during 2025, but the policies were not identical. Beijing introduced a citywide minimum number of AI lessons, the UAE added AI learning across K-12 education, South Korea introduced approved AI digital textbooks in selected grades and subjects, and Saudi Arabia expanded AI skills through national training and digital-learning programs.

Keeping these measures separate avoids treating every technology initiative as the same kind of curriculum mandate. A national AI subject, an optional course, teacher-supported adaptive textbooks, and a public AI training program represent different changes to an education system.

Printed Materials and Personal Devices Were Treated Separately

Sweden’s 2025 textbook and school-library measures were already active while the national whole-day mobile-phone collection rule belonged to the following year. Printed textbooks received additional funding in 2025, strengthened school-library access began in July 2025, and the nationwide phone rule took effect on 1 August 2026.

Japan, meanwhile, continued introducing digital textbooks alongside printed materials rather than replacing paper books completely in 2025. The two countries therefore cannot be described simply as moving in opposite directions between “digital” and “analog” education; their measures addressed different technologies, age groups, and classroom uses.

Assessment Changes Followed Different Timelines

Turkey expanded process-oriented reporting in early education, China continued use of more flexible Gaokao subject combinations, France changed the calculation of the Brevet for 2026 while postponing the direct-entry requirement until Brevet 2027, and the United States completed the transition to the shorter adaptive Digital SAT.

The dates matter because announcements, examination changes, and progression requirements often take effect in different school years. France is a clear example: the 2026 DNB weighting change and the 2027 requirement for direct entry to seconde are separate measures.

Vocational and Technical Routes Expanded

Turkey developed specialized vocational schools, Nigeria expanded federally supported TVET training, Estonia extended the obligation to remain in education while allowing vocational pathways to satisfy it, and England continued adding technical qualifications such as the Marketing T Level. The policies differ in structure, but all connect parts of secondary or post-school education more directly with occupational training.

Global Comparison of 2025 Education Changes