2013年-世界发展银行全球_Mauritania_Student_Assessment___SABER_Country_Report_2013_45页_990kb

Mauritania Student Assessment Summary

Core Content

Mauritania has implemented a student assessment system as part of its broader efforts to improve education quality and learning outcomes. The system includes classroom assessments, examinations, and large-scale assessments (both national and international). The World Bank's SABER program was used to benchmark and evaluate the effectiveness of these assessment systems, identifying key policy areas and development levels.

Main Assessment Types and Purposes

1. Classroom Assessment

• Purpose: Provide real-time feedback to support teaching and learning in individual classrooms.
• Key Features:
  • Guidelines are available for primary and secondary levels through system-level documents.
  • Teachers have access to scoring criteria and curriculum documents.
  • However, there is a lack of systematic resources such as textbooks, item banks, or online tools to support classroom assessment.
  • In-service teacher training, online resources, and professional development on classroom assessment are not available.
  • Classroom assessments are used for diagnosing learning issues, providing feedback to students and parents, and planning instruction, but are not used effectively for improving teaching practices.
  • There are no external moderation systems or national reviews to monitor the quality of classroom assessments.
• Development Level: Established
• Key Issues:
  • Limited resources for teachers.
  • Low-quality feedback to students.
  • Inadequate monitoring and support mechanisms.
• Suggested Policy Options:
  1. Develop and provide systematic resources for teachers.
  2. Conduct a national review of education quality with a focus on classroom assessment.

2. Examinations

• Purpose: Certify completion of the school cycle and select students for higher education.
• Key Features:
  • The School Leaving (Baccalaureate) Examination has been in place since 1974.
  • It is administered to grade 13 students in various subjects.
  • The examination is supported by a formal system-level document.
  • The Directorate of Examinations and Assessment is responsible for its implementation and is well-equipped and staffed.
  • Regular funding is provided by the government, covering core activities such as design, administration, and reporting.
• Development Level: Established
• Key Issues:
  • High levels of inappropriate behavior during the examination process.
  • No external review, pilot testing, or audits.
  • Limited mechanisms to monitor the consequences of the examination.
• Suggested Policy Options:
  1. Introduce strict protocols to prevent misuse of mobile phones during exams.
  2. Ensure confidentiality of student results by prohibiting public posting.
  3. Establish a permanent oversight committee to monitor the consequences of the examination.

3. National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA)

• Purpose: Monitor education quality at the system level and support policy design and evaluation.
• Key Features:
  • First administered in 1999, and conducted regularly.
  • A formal policy document authorizes the NLSA, and a written plan exists for future activities.
  • Funding is irregular and provided by non-government sources.
  • The NLSA office is adequately staffed but relies heavily on temporary or part-time personnel.
  • Quality mechanisms such as pilot testing and double scoring are in place, but no external review or audit.
• Development Level: Established
• Key Issues:
  • Limited dissemination of results to all stakeholders.
  • No mechanisms to monitor the consequences of the NLSA.
  • Results are not used systematically to improve educational practices.
• Suggested Policy Options:
  1. Ensure stable government funding for NLSA activities, including research and development.
  2. Develop a plan for wider dissemination of NLSA results, such as media briefings.
  3. Establish a permanent oversight committee to monitor the consequences of the NLSA.

4. International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA)

• Purpose: Provide feedback on the comparative performance of the education system and support international benchmarking.
• Key Features:
  • Mauritania has participated in ILSAs such as PASEC (2004) and MLA II (2003), and is preparing for PASEC 2015 and TIMSS 2015.
  • There is an informal policy document authorizing ILSA participation.
  • The ILSA team is adequately staffed and has previous experience, but lacks training and opportunities to learn about ILSAs.
  • ILSA results are used for policy decisions, but their impact on student achievement is unclear.
• Development Level: Emerging
• Key Issues:
  • No opportunities for training or learning about ILSAs.
  • Limited feedback mechanisms for schools and educators.
  • No systematic use of ILSA results for improving educational practices.
• Suggested Policy Options:
  1. Develop a formal, system-level policy document for ILSA participation.
  2. Offer training and workshops on ILSA for a wide audience, including ILSA team members.
  3. Implement a feedback plan to ensure ILSA results are systematically shared with schools and educators.

Key Policy Areas for Improvement

• Classroom Assessment: Requires more resources, training, and monitoring mechanisms to improve quality and effectiveness.
• Examinations: Needs stronger integrity measures and more comprehensive oversight to ensure fairness and accountability.
• National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA): Should have stable government funding and better mechanisms to monitor and use results for policy improvement.
• International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA): Lacks training, learning opportunities, and feedback systems for schools and educators, hindering its potential impact.

Status of Development Levels

Conclusion

Mauritania has made progress in establishing formal assessment systems at the national level, particularly in examinations and NLSA. However, the system lacks robust support for classroom assessment and ILSA, both in terms of resources and mechanisms for monitoring and utilizing assessment outcomes. Strengthening these areas through policy development, funding, and training is essential for improving overall education quality and student learning outcomes.