Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of formative assessment techniques in enhancing critical thinking skills among secondary school students in selected Asian countries. The study was anchored on a quantitative research design and drew upon 320 respondents selected from secondary schools using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. A researcher-developed questionnaire titled Formative Assessment and Critical Thinking Inventory (FACTI) was administered. Out of 320 questionnaires distributed, 302 were returned and found valid for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to answer the research questions, while three null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 significance level using t-test and ANOVA. Findings revealed that formative assessment techniques such as peer assessment, feedback cycles, and questioning strategies significantly improved learners' critical thinking abilities as reflected in the high proportion of agreement responses across items. Furthermore, hypotheses testing showed significant differences in students’ critical thinking outcomes based on exposure to formative assessment practices. These results align with multiple reviewed studies demonstrating the value of formative assessment for promoting analytical reasoning and problem-solving in secondary learners. The study concludes that formative assessment is a powerful instructional tool for fostering critical thinking in Asian secondary schools. Recommendations were made to ministries of education, school administrators, and classroom teachers to adopt structured formative assessment programs, provide professional development for teachers, and integrate formative feedback cycles consistently across subjects to strengthen students’ thinking competencies