2012年-世界发展银行全球_Sri_Lanka_Student_Assessment___SABER_Country_Report_2012_41页_1mb

Sri Lanka Student Assessment Summary

Core Content

Sri Lanka has been assessed under the SABER-Student Assessment program to evaluate its student assessment system. The report outlines the current status of three main types of assessments: classroom assessment, examinations, and national large-scale assessment (NLSA). It also touches on international large-scale assessment (ILSA), noting that Sri Lanka has not participated in any ILSA and does not have plans to do so in the near future.

The report emphasizes the importance of an effective student assessment system in improving education quality and learning outcomes. It identifies key policy areas and outlines the methodology used by the World Bank to evaluate the development levels of assessment systems across different indicators.

Main Assessment Types and Their Status

1. Classroom Assessment

• Level of Development: Emerging
• Purpose: To provide real-time feedback for teaching and learning, diagnose student learning issues, and inform parents.
• Coverage: All subject areas, with performance levels defined for different grades and age levels.
• Resources Available: Teachers are provided with Teacher Instruction Manuals (TIM), Assessment and Evaluation guidelines, and sample questions.
• Training: Pre- and in-service training is available for classroom assessment, but there are no formal mechanisms to monitor its quality.
• Integration with Examinations: Classroom assessment results are used as input for external exams, but it is unclear if they are moderated before combining with external scores.

2. Examinations

• Level of Development: Established
• Key Exam: GCE Advanced Level Examination, administered since 1964.
• Purpose: To determine graduation, university admission, and monitor education quality.
• Resources: Students have access to sample questions, preparation guides, and a framework document.
• Administration: Managed by the Department of Examinations, with support from universities and the National Institute of Education.
• Quality Assurance: Limited mechanisms exist for internal review and translation verification. There are no systematic ways to monitor the consequences of the exam.
• Legal Framework: The Public Examination Act No. 25 of 1968 formalizes the GCE process.

3. National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA)

• Level of Development: Emerging
• Key Assessment: Grade 4 National Assessment of Achievement, conducted in 2003, 2007, and 2009.
• Funding: Relies on donor support, not government funding.
• Institution: Managed by the National Education Research and Evaluation Centre (NEREC), which employs temporary and part-time staff.
• Quality Issues: Poor training of test administrators, unclear guidelines, and scoring errors have led to delays in reporting results.
• Reporting: Results are disseminated within 12 months, featured in media, and used for policy planning. However, the technical report is restricted in circulation.

4. International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA)

• Level of Development: Emerging (not participated in ILSA)
• Status: Sri Lanka has not participated in any ILSA and does not have plans to do so in the near future.
• Policy Options: Encourage discussions on the potential value of ILSA data and assess the need for participation.

Key Policy Areas and Development Levels

The SABER-Student Assessment framework evaluates systems based on three main dimensions:

1. Enabling Context
   • Includes policies, leadership, funding, institutional arrangements, and human resources.
2. System Alignment
   • Refers to the congruence of assessments with curriculum, learning goals, and teacher training.
3. Assessment Quality
   • Involves the design, administration, analysis, and effective use of assessment results.

The report defines four development levels: Latent, Emerging, Established, and Advanced, with Established being the acceptable minimum standard.

Suggested Policy Options

1. Classroom Assessment

• Develop a system-level document with guidelines for classroom assessment.
• Introduce mechanisms to monitor the quality of classroom assessment, such as including it in teacher evaluations and school inspections.
• Ensure moderation of school-based assessments before integrating them with external exam scores and provide training on moderation practices.

2. Examinations

• Introduce regular and mandatory training courses for teachers involved in examination-related tasks.
• Implement additional systematic mechanisms for quality assurance, such as item piloting, field testing, and external reviews.
• Establish systematic monitoring of the consequences of the examination, including funding for research and expert review groups.

3. National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA)

• Introduce regular government funding for national assessments.
• Regularize the schedule for NLSA administration.
• Hire permanent staff in NEREC and provide targeted training on test administration and scoring.
• Offer high-quality training or workshops for teachers on national assessments.

4. International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA)

• Facilitate high-level discussions among stakeholders on the potential use of ILSA data.
• Assess the need for and possible steps towards ILSA participation.

Education System Overview

Sri Lanka is a lower middle-income country in South Asia with strong economic performance post-conflict. Its education system includes primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary levels. The country performs well in access and completion indicators, with universal primary education achieved in 2005 and high completion rates. The National Assessment of Learning shows improvement in language achievement from 69% in 2005 to 83% in 2011.

The Sri Lanka Education Sector Development Framework and Programme (ESDFP) 2012-2016 aims to improve the education system by enhancing the secondary curriculum to meet the needs of a knowledge-based economy.

Conclusion

Sri Lanka has a well-established examination system but is still in the emerging stage for classroom and national large-scale assessments. The country has potential to improve its assessment practices through better policy design, funding, and training. While ILSA participation is currently not planned, the report suggests the need for further discussion and planning in this area.