The Need for Assessing Knowledge through Writing for the Quality of Education in Post-Soviet Middle-Low Income Countries with an Emphasis on Azerbaijani Context

Abstract

Enhancing the quality of education has been placed high in the national policy agenda in Azerbaijan in recent years. Education policy makers are interested in developing quality curriculum for secondary education, implementing teacher development programs and creating a better learning environment. This study outlines one of the most significant skills in education; academic writing, and teaching and assessment of it for the quality in education. The reason for arguing this topic is that a multiple-choice test is still a dominant assessment tool at centralized exams in Azerbaijan, and a student’s knowledge cannot be measured through standardized multiple-choice tests only. It is argued that the lack of teaching and learning academic writing at secondary education and its assessment might prevent the student’s critical thinking.