people and planet

10
assessment between 2007 and 2013, 75 did so in grades
1 to 3, 123 in grades 4 to 6, 88 in grades 7 to 9 and 45 in
grades 10 to 12. Almost all national assessments tested
language (reading and writing) and mathematics; 53% of
countries tested learning outcomes in natural/physical
sciences, 34% in social sciences and 34% in foreign
languages (Figure 10.12).
Carrying out national assessments regularly helps
consolidate education systems, as it spurs demand
for timely data, especially when education reforms are
being implemented. Yet there are significant variations
by country. About one-third of national assessments
in the UIS catalogue, including those of the Dominican
Republic, Mauritius and Zimbabwe, are administered
annually (UIS, 2016d). Some countries that carry out
annual assessments rotate subjects. In Chile, the tested
grades and subjects alternate to make more time
and resources available for substantive data analysis
(Ferrer, 2006).
Apart from assessments’ availability, it will be necessary
to establish clear standards for them and to introduce
a strong mechanism to assure their quality. Ultimately,
only assessments of good quality should be used to
inform a global indicator on learning outcomes.
Setting quality standards for national assessments
Two dimensions of assessment quality are relevant.
First, an enabling institutional context needs to
ensure sustainability and strong links with the
education system. Second, assessments should be
valid and reliable, providing relevant information to
policy-makers and the public, without interference or
compromising factors.
An enabling context is the key driver of long-term
effectiveness of an assessment system. It requires
supportive policies and institutions, and sufficient
financial and human resources (Clarke, 2012). Broad
political support is needed, since results could reveal
serious challenges or inequality in learning. Over the last
two decades in Brazil, committed and stable political
leadership and support enabled the development of a
strong, large-scale national assessment programme
(Castro, 2012).
Among 24 countries reviewed in the World Bank
Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER)
programme on student assessment since 2009, only
Samoa, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and Zambia
were considered to have established an enabling context,
mostly as a result of external support. A legal document
FIGURE 10.12:
Most national assessments test learning outcomes in language and mathematics
Percentage of countries that tested a particular subject among those that carried out at least one national assessment during the period,
1990–1999, 2000–2006 and 2007–2013
100
100
97
100
96
96
98
90
80
70
Countries (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
47
51
53
31
32
34 34
20
22
33
24
13
0
Language
Mathematics
Sciences
Social sciences Foreign language Other
Source: Benavot and Köseleci (2015).
1990–1999 2000–2006 2007–2013
2016 • GLOBAL EDUCATION MONITORING REPORT 199