it reviews the drivers behind the development of a testing scheme the purposes associated with its implementation and different criteria that feed into the test design while it is difficult to discern exactly which driver may have distinctly played a role in a nation s decision to administer standardised tests it is nonetheless important to identify the underlying currents and intersecting trends steering assessment systems mons the primary drivers identified are new public management standardsbased assessment international competition increasing demand for st century skills test industry pressure there has also been a growing emphasis on quantitatively measuring outcomes and objectives and reforms towards decentralisation and autonomy which have contributed to the need to develop new means to monitor education systems mons