Formative assessments and the continuity of learning during emergencies and crises: NEQMAP 2020 thematic review

Emergencies and crises (e.g. natural disasters, conflicts, pandemics) often take a particularly heavy toll on education systems and learners, since the initial and immediate response is often school closures. Educational systems in the Asia-Pacific have adopted measures to respond to crises over the years by bringing in alternative models of educational practices to ensure the continuity of education. However, the recent COVID-19 pandemic also disclosed how countries, when placed in unprecedented situations, have struggled to find suitable ways to continue teaching and learning. In addition, how countries have adapted approaches towards formative and school-based assessments during such crucial times is still indistinct and unclear. The current paper thus attempts to explore the ways countries in the Asia-Pacific region have ventured towards gauging learners progress in emergency situations and what tools have been adopted to ensure validity and inclusiveness while any such assessments were carried out. The current thematic review offers a glimpse into the educational assessment landscape under varied emergency contexts in the Asia-Pacific region.