This study outlines a comprehensive benchmarking strategy used for comparing policies, processes and strategies across national borders. Comparative benchmarking can empower nation states in the global South to review education systems, discover hidden sources of inequity, and establish comparative benchmarks for system reform. The utility of the benchmarking system is illustrated for the student assessment system. Both competitive and process/functional benchmarking were used to identify targets. The balanced assessment systems of high performing countries paid significant attention to classroom formative assessment even when examinations were central. This compares with the binding historical legacy of public examinations in the Anglophone Caribbean.