Student learning assessment

The focus of the fifth booklet of the Asia-Pacific Education System Review Series is on student learning assessment in the Asia-Pacific region. Given the region’s progress in extending access to education to all, more and more countries in the region are increasingly concerned with the improvement of the quality of education (Goal 6 of the Education for All Goals adopted in Dakar in 2000). Accordingly, monitoring systems via learning assessments provide a tool for governments to assess, evaluate and monitor the learning outcomes of learners in the country. The results from learning assessments at the international, national, subnational and school levels allow policy makers and various stakeholders to evaluate the performance of their education system and learners and identify how to improve their assessment systems, subsequently enhancing the quality of education. However, given the diversity of the region, there are many different practices in learning assessment among countries, including countries that are in the initial stages of developing their assessment systems. This booklet gives an overview of the current status of learning assessments in the region, including ones conducted at the international level, and findings and implications for policy makers in an effort to provide stakeholders with a quick reference on the topic. It is hoped that this booklet will serve as a useful resource document for policy makers and educators, enabling them to think critically about their own education systems, specifically in regard to learning assessments, to guide them in the development and improvement of their assessment systems and subsequently, the quality of education.