The national examinations at 6th and 9th grade, which determined whether students could move to the following level, were also discontinued in 2007 to remove obstacles to transition (see Figure 4.4). The assessment has been applied twice in primary education (2007 and 2010) and three times in lower secondary education (2008, 2012, 2014). It tests students' knowledge of the curriculum in core subjects, and also surveys schools' socio-demographic characteristics, resources and climate.