From Policy to Practice: Institutional Factors Affecting Education Reform Implementation in East Asian Countries

Abstract

Objective: To examine how institutional factors influence educational reform implementation in Japan, Korea, and Singapore, analyzing translation from policy to classroom practice through path dependence, institutional autonomy, and cultural-cognitive mechanisms.Materials and Methods: Historical institutionalism framework guided comparative case analysis (2015-2024). Data included 127 policy documents, 62 elite interviews, and longitudinal educational data from 115 schools using mixed methods analysis.Results: Institutional autonomy explained 52% of implementation variance. Singapore achieved 73% implementation fidelity through centralized planning with school flexibility, exceeding Korea (61%) and Japan (54%). Cultural-cognitive factors created 32% policy-practice gaps. Professional learning communities (r=0.68, p<0.001) and practice-based support (r=0.56) were key facilitators. Incremental layering showed higher sustainability (0.73) than radical replacement (0.35). Cross-sector coordination enhanced efficiency by 41%.Conclusions: The "institutional resilience" concept reveals how East Asian systems balance global pressures with local logic. Successful reform requires acknowledging path dependence while promoting calibrated innovation. Exam-oriented education remains primary resistance. Incremental strategies demonstrate greater sustainability than radical approaches.