For education programmes to work well, they need to be treated like a connected system. There are three core elements to the system: curriculum, delivery and assessment. Therefore, the curriculum, how it's taught, and how learning is assessed should all follow the same clear approach and be based on a shared understanding of how people learn and progress. If these parts don’t work together, the whole system can fall short.

But the system doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes place within real communities, shaped by the needs and expectations of students, teachers, parents, and policymakers. So, for a programme to succeed and be widely accepted, it must be built on a well-defined plan that takes those voices into account, and it must keep people informed and involved throughout.

This helps track not just whether the programme works as intended, but also supports learners and communities in meaningful ways.

Citation:

O'Sullivan, B. (2021). The Comprehensive Learning System. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/ZDEC-CK78