Measuring and Monitoring the Quality of Education :Measuring and Monitoring the Quality of Education Christopher Colclough University of Cambridge


What are we trying to measure? :Cognitive development: reading, writing, numeracy Creative and emotional development and the promotion of attitudes and values necessary for effective life in the community better health, lower fertility, lower exposure to HIV/AIDS higher personal income stronger national growth A good quality education encompasses: A good quality education carries personal and social benefits: What are we trying to measure?


International learning assessments :International learning assessments PIRLS – reading literacy, 9-yr olds, 5 ldcs TIMSS – maths/science, 9/13-yr olds, 9 ldcs PISA – reading/math/sci, 15 yr-olds, OECD+ SACMEQ – reading/maths, grade 6, 14 SSA UNESCO LLECE – lit/math, 16 LACs PASEC – lit/maths, 6 Francophone SSA 110 countries in at least one study: 46 ldcs, but only at most 16 in any one assessment


Measuring Quantity is Insufficient :Measuring Quantity is Insufficient Quantitative versus qualitative indicators of participation in primary schooling


Quality diagnosis: achievement tests :Southern Africa: in 4 countries less than 10% and in 3 others around one-third or less of tested grade 6 students reach a ‘desirable level’ in reading Francophone Africa: in 6 countries, between 14% and 43% of grade 5 pupils have low achievement in French or mathematics OECD countries: between 2% and 10% of 15-year-olds have serious deficiencies in literacy skills, whereas in middle and low-income countries, between 20% and 50% do so International assessments point to weak performance Quality diagnosis: achievement tests


Literacy scoresChanges between Sacmeq 1 and 2 :Literacy scoresChanges between Sacmeq 1 and 2


National Learning Assessments :National Learning Assessments Subject oriented Assess achievement relative to intended curriculum Country studies doubled to 111, 1995-2006 Over 90% focus on maths or language Results for 16 countries (mainly L.Am) mainly indicate improvement


Percentage of pupils meeting minimum reading mastery levels,by highest and lowest wealth asset score (1995/96) :Percentage of pupils meeting minimum reading mastery levels,by highest and lowest wealth asset score (1995/96)


National resources: finance and quality :6% of GNP recommended on education spending not reached in majority of countries Education spending higher in rich countries (5.1% of GNP) than in systems where access and quality remain a top challenge (under 4% in Africa and East Asia/Pacific) Spending increases in East Asia and Pacific and Latin American and Caribbean in late 1990s, but -24% in Philippines; -8% in Indonesia In low income countries, increasing spending has a positive impact on learners’ cognitive achievement National resources: finance and quality


A Paradox:Test scores and changes in per pupil expenditures in OECD :A Paradox:Test scores and changes in per pupil expenditures in OECD


National resources: finance and quality :Students in countries that invest more in education tend to have better literacy skills. In high-income states, the impact of additional resources is less clear National resources: finance and quality


Proxies for quality :Studies show that more resources for: low pupil-teacher ratios more and better textbooks time spent learning in school or at home teacher qualifications and experience matter for quality A wide range of evidence indicates that additional resources improve education quality, particularly where they are scarce Proxies for quality


Other essentials that make the difference :Curriculum: relevant, balanced with carefully defined aims Instructional time: few countries reach recommended 850-1,000 hours/year Learning materials: strong impact on learning but small percentage of education spending goes to textbooks Language: Successful models start in mother tongue and make gradual transition to second or foreign language School environment: safety, health, sanitation for girls and boys, access for disabled Other essentials that make the difference


Impact of school organization and pupil characteristics achievement scores in five Francophone African countries (mid-1990s) :Impact of school organization and pupil characteristics achievement scores in five Francophone African countries (mid-1990s)


How resources are used is important for quality :strong leadership emphasis on learning basic skills orderly and secure school environment high expectations of pupil attainment frequent assessment of progress How resources are used is important for quality Research on the characteristics of effective schools highlights the importance of the following factors:


Quality proxies short-list :Quality proxies short-list P/T ratio – but skewness undermines mean value Repetition rate – but aut. prom policy % trained teachers – but definitions vary Expenditure variables – but incomplete data Learning outcomes – but cohort and curriculum problems and incomplete data Survival to grade 5 – best in short run?


Survival in school and PTR :Only one-third of students reach last grade of primary education where pupil/teacher ratios are high Survival in school and PTR


Survival rate and learning outcomes :Survival rate and learning outcomes


Survival rate and learning outcomes at lower secondary level :Survival rate and learning outcomes at lower secondary level


End :End Thank you