Southeast Asia
Primary Learning Metric (SEA-PLM):
OVERVIEW
SEAMEO Consultative Meeting on SEA-BES and
SEA-PLM
November 4th 2014
Jim Ackers, UNICEF Regional Education Adviser
What is SEA-PLM?
A primary education learning metrics for SEA
which will provide timely, high-quality data to
stakeholders and policy makers for
effective reforms and interventions
Uniqueness of SEA-PLM?
 A regional metric focused at Primary Level (Grade 5)
 Uniquely SEAMEO-ASEAN – reflects Southeast Asian values
 Beyond reading to literacy, maths and ‘global citizenship’
 Opportunity to apply innovative approaches to assessment
 Includes School/Student Context survey
 Based on national curriculum standards
 Building from target rather than minimum standards
 Embeds capacity building opportunities throughout
SEA-PLM will support SEAMEO
Member Countries to:
 better measure and understand the status of learning achievement amongst the
general population and for specific groups (e.g., boys/girls; sub-nationally;
public/private sectors)
 use culturally appropriate metrics for formative and summative purposes that
can assess 21st Century skills and critical thinking
 improve curriculum and its relevance to national needs and priorities (improving
quality of education through system-level monitoring of learner achievement)
 build technical and analytical capacities of national examination and assessment
staff
 strengthen SEAMEO-ASEAN technical collaboration on learning assessment and
standards across education systems
Linking SEA-PLM to other regional assessments
• PISA, TIMMS and PIRLS to assess learning outcomes at lower secondary ages
• EGRA is increasingly used as a measure of early reading competence
• EGMA is used as a measure of numeracy and mathematics in the early grades
• East Asia Learning Assessment Study (EALAS) used national curriculum to prepare
national Grade 3 & 5 metrics using SOLO Taxonomy and Rasch model
• East Asia Pacific - Early Childhood Development Scale. For children 3-5 years,
currently being validated with 7000 children in 6 countries with HKU and ARNEC
• SEAMEO RECSAM’s - Southeast Asian Regional Standards for Mathematics and
Science Teachers (SEARS)
Learning from Global Learning Metric Task Force
Task force recommends that education systems offer focus on mastering
competencies in seven domains essential for future lives and livelihoods
Global Citizenship and the SEA-PLM
21st century skills
Education for peace
Global
Citizenship
Civic engagement
Life-skills Education
Collaboration across institutions
• Initial collaboration: UNICEF and SEAMEO: SEAMES
and INNOTECH
• Further cooperation with: UNESCO Bangkok, Policy
and Reform [EPR] Unit, UNESCO Bangkok UIS,
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific [ESCAP] Statistic Division [ACER], Brookings
Institute, LMTF], Network on Education Quality
Monitoring in the Asia-Pacific [NEQMAP]
• Future cooperation: As above +: Domain Technical
Review Panels, MOE/National Teams, UNICEF Country
Offices and SEAMEO Centres, ASEAN.
Progress: SEA-PLM (I)
Working Group
Established
(Beginning of
2013)
47th
SEAMEO
Council
Conference
(March 2013)
• Members:
SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO
INNOTECH,
UNICEF EAPRO,
• SEAMEO
UNESCO (UIS and
Council of
35th SEAMEO High
Ministers took EPR Units), ACER,
Officials Meeting
note of concept UN ESCAP
(November 2012)
note and plan Statistics Division
Proposal on
to complete
development of a
Phase I in 2013
Southeast Asia
and to propose
Primary
Phase II at 36th
Learning Metric
SEAMEO HOM
(SEA-PLM) & Plan
for Phase I to be
completed in 2013
was presented and
Regional Experts
Reference Group
(RERG)
Established
(September
2013)
• RERG convened
a Regional
Expert Seminar
on September
24-26, 2013
36th SEAMEO
High Officials
Meeting
(February 2014)
• Progress on
Desk Review
phase I
Completed
(December 2013) presented
and full
• SEAMEO
endorsement
INNOTECH:
of phase II
Primary school
was
curricula in
given
Southeast
• Proposed
Asian countries
candidates for
Phase
2:
• ACER:
Brunei
Experiences
Darussalam,
with primary
Lao PDR,
learning metrics –
Malaysia,
and with PISA
and TIMMS – in Philippines,
Thailand.
the region
• Cambodia
showed
interest
ACER Review of Primary Learning Metrics
- using a simplified framework of multilevel approaches to assessment
Approaches to assessment in SEA
Countries
Assessment Types
Names of Tests
Cambodia
Hybrid, Regional and National
EGRA, PASEC, LAS
Lao PDR
Hybrid, Regional, National
EGRA, PASEC, NLS, ASLO,
Indonesia
Hybrid, Regional, National
EALAS, Literacy Boost, TIMSS, PIRLS, LAS
Malaysia
National, International
PISA, TIMSS
Myanmar
Hybrid
EALAS
Philippines
Hybrid, International, National
EGRA, Literacy Boost, EALAS, Phil-IRI, TIMSS
Singapore
National, International
CRP, TIMSS, PIRLS
Thailand
Hybrid, National, International
Nationwide Assessment, TIMSS
Timor Leste
Hybrid
EGRA, EALAS
Vietnam
Hybrid, National, Regional,
Reading and Maths Assessments Study,
EGRA, EALAS, Literacy Boost, PASEC
INNOTECH’s review of Primary Education
Curriculum
SEAMEO INNOTECH reviewed the
curriculum of 7 SEA countries using the 7
domains for Learning Outcomes under
the LMTF.
The review identified commonalities
and unique elements within curriculum
frameworks in the participating countries
The contents were compared using the
LMTF domains
UNICEF’s support to SEA-PLM: Rationale
EQUITY AND LEARNING: “Strengthened political commitment,
accountability and national capacity to legislate, plan and budget for
scaling up quality and inclusive education – learning assessment
systems, early learning policies and programmes, risk informed
sector plans” Unicef Strategic Plan:
COMMITMENT TO LMTF: As LMTF Board Member
COMPLEMENTARITY WITH OTHER ANALYTICAL WORK
- Learning, Education & Social Cohesion/MTBBE
- Out of School Children Studies in 10 countries
- Multi-country study on school grants with IIEP in 5 countries
- ELDS and ECD Scales
COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING PRACTICE – enhanced LFA
COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS – EFA to post 2015
Two levels of engagement
Country engagement
MOE Focal Point in SC
National Team
In-country facilitating unit
Experts for DTRP
In-country training
Regional seminars
Field Test
Regional engagement
MOE Focal Point in SC
In-country facilitating unit
Experts for DTRP
Regional seminars
Immediate next steps => NOV 2014
Ministries of Education
 Express interest in level of engagement from the 6 countries: country or
regional
 Clarify available country resources to support implementation of SEA-PLM
 Share perspectives of how SEA-PLM can strengthen existing assessment
and monitoring system(s)
 Share documentation, reports, copies of curricula, etc.
 Nominate experts for the Domain Technical Review Panels
 Nominate experts for the National Technical Team
 Final decision on MOE SEA-PLM focal point and lines of communication
Immediate next steps - => NOV 2014
In-country facilitating unit:


Support for MOE’s
Nomination of experts for the Domain Technical Review Panels
Steering Committee:
 Final assessment of countries’ levels of engagement
 Final approval of members of Domain Technical Review Panel Members
Institutional Contractor:
 1st draft work plan and recommendations to SEA-PLM Steering Committee
Thank you very much