Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA)
Centre of Education and Consciousness
www.itacec.org
Panel:
Towards Universal Learning, One Country at a Time: The Results and Future of Country Led
Action
Venue: Grand Ballroom A
Time: 09:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Vancouver - March 10, 2016
Implementing LMTF at a country
level: Lessons from Pakistan
Civil Society’s Role in LMTF 2.0

Advocating for robust assessment systems that demonstrate the
transformative power of reliable data on learning outcomes

Numerous citizen-led movements are working to collect data on
learning and hold governments accountable for providing quality
education to all citizens

Actively working with governments, donors and partners to
advance the agenda of ‘access plus learning’ for a coordinated,
organized response to country needs

Involved in bringing together key stakeholders at national level to
provide critical inputs into the design and adaptation of
assessments tools aligned to LMTF domains
What LMTF Means for Pakistan?
A BROADER BOLDER APPROACH T0 EDUCATION REFORM
Child Interest
at the Center
Global Indicators of
Learning Outcomes
Sustainability of
Assessments
LMTF Partner Institutions in Pakistan
Accomplishments at the System Level- Consortium of public
and private assessment fraternity

A multi stakeholder
platform supporting
national learning
assessment systems in
Pakistan
Accomplishments at the System Level – Self Diagnosis of
Strengths and Weaknesses

First-of-its-kind report of the
various assessment actors and
efforts in the country, reflecting
on what is working well and what
is not, and identification of what is
being emphasized by the national
learning assessment systems
Accomplishments at the School Level – Developed tools on 3
LMTF Domains

Developed ways of testing children on domains and questions that
are both cognitive and non-cognitive; questions that similar
population groups in emerging economies can answer
Accomplishments at the School Level

Measured learning at the
classroom level across
three domains: English
language, numeracy and
cognition/critical thinking
to guide actions that lead
to holistic learning of a
child.
Shared Ownership Approach
5 National
Stakeholders
Meetings
Consortium of
13 assessment
experts
(public and
private)
9 member
organizations
Debated on what domains need to be measured and translated them
into assessment tools governments and national stakeholders can use
in their national or sub national contexts
What Areas have been measured
Grades 2, 5 and 8
(lower primary, upper primary and lower secondary)
Tool Development Process

Identification of partners (focal points from each learning champion organization)
with skills relevant to the domains)

Organizing a meeting to discuss and set/approve test specifications (Mid March
2015).

Finalizing the format of the test and the format of questions (End March 2015)

Organizing a two day meeting to write and review test questions that are nationally
representative ( Start April 2015)

Partners and ITA team worked on the tools virtually and developed the second draft
(Start May 2015). This stage included performing fairness review; removing offensive
material and ensuring sensitivity and inclusiveness

Ms Vyjayanthi Shankar (Assessment Expert) reviewed the draft and proposed
changes (Mid May 2015)

The final draft was prepared and shared with all partners
PILOT SURVEY
FINDINGS: ENGLISH
% students who obtained atleast 60%
FINDINGS: NUMERACY
% students who obtained atleast 60%
FINDINGS: CONGNITION
% students who obtained atleast 60%
Outcome of the LMTF in-country process in Pakistan

Initiated debate on how to define and measure learning broadly, across multiple
domains and educational stages

built consensus on national and provincial priorities around learning domains

Formed a consortium of government and private assessment bodies – a sustainable
institutional platform to take forward the task of measuring learning around the
prioritized domains and improving assessment systems

Developed assessment tools that are duly acknowledged by the Government
organizations such as PEACe/KEACe/PITE to be used in their next round of national
assessments .

By testing children on ‘critical thinking and cognition’, LMTF introduced the idea of
testing children beyond the basics- an approach welcomed by teachers across public
and private schools
Way Forward
Future Projections

Launching a “National Forum for Learning Assessment” in Pakistan which will
be a formal consortium of public and private assessment which will convene
twice a year to review assessment practices, undertake rigorous research on
the use of assessment data and recommend improvements.

Training educators and teachers on the use of assessment data to
improve teaching and classroom practices

Joining the Regional Forum of Asia Pacific Learning Champions (Pakistan,
Nepal and Kyrgyz Republic) focusing on

Early Childhood Education (ECE)/ pre-primary and primary level as a way of
working on the foundational level – Assessing children on social skills, values
and attitudes, physical well being and other skills as prescribed by the national
curriculums of each country.

Capacity building for ECE and primary level practitioners leading to favorable
cognitive and social outcomes for children
THANK YOU