Innovative Strategies for Accelerated Human Resource Development in South Asia Student Assessment and Examination Special Focus on Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Assessment of student learning outcomes (ASLO) is one of the key activities in teaching and learning. It serves as the source of information in determining the quality of education at the classroom and national levels. Results from any assessment have an infl uence on decision making, on policy development related to improving individual student achievement, and to ensure the equity and quality of an education system. ASLO provides teachers and school heads with information for making decisions regarding a students’ progress. The information allows teachers and school heads to understand a students’ performance better. This report reviews ASLO in three South Asian countries—Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri.Lanka—with a focus on public examinations, national assessment, school-based assessment, and classroom assessment practiced in these countries. About the Asian Development Bank ADB’s vision is an Asia and Pacifi c region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people. Despite the region’s many successes, it remains home to a large share of the world’s poor. ADB is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Based in Manila, ADB is owned by members, including from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance. INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR ACCELERATED HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH ASIA STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATION Special Focus on Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK www.adb.org 9 789292 610302 INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR ACCELERATED HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AsiA STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATION Special Focus on Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) © 2017 Asian Development Bank 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines Tel +63 2 632 4444; Fax +63 2 636 2444 www.adb.org Some rights reserved. Published in 2017. ISBN 978-92-9261-030-2 (print), 978-92-9261-031-9 (electronic) Publication Stock No. TCS179079 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS179079 The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by ADB in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. 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Corrigenda to ADB publications may be found at http://www.adb.org/publications/corrigenda. Printed on recycled paper CONTENTS Tables, Figures, and Boxes v Foreword vii Preface viii Abbreviations ix Executive Summary xi General Overview of Status of Student Assessment xi Strengths and Weaknesses xiii Issues and Challenges xiv Chapter 1: Introduction and Background 1 A. Basic Concepts in Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 2 B. Scope and Methodology 3 C. Country Educational System 4 Chapter 2: Public Examinations and National Assessments in South Asia 9 A. National Examination and Assessment Policy and Framework 9 B. Public Examinations 12 C. National Assessment 15 D. Governance and Institutional Arrangements in Public Examinations and National Assessments 18 E. Participation in Regional and International Assessments 20 F. Innovations in Public and National Examinations and Lessons Learned from International Assessments 22 G. The National Assessment System: Learning from International Assessments 25 Chapter 3: School-Based Assessment and Continuous Assessment System 29 A. Status of School-Based Assessment and Continuous Assessment System 30 B. Modalities of School-Based Assessment and Continuous Assessment System 33 C. Evaluation and Moderation System 34 D. Integration of Results into the Public Examinations and National Assessment System 35 E. Progress of School-Based Assessment Implementation 36 iv Contents Chapter 4: Classroom Assessment Practices of Teachers: Implications on Teacher Training 39 A. Classroom Assessment Preferences 40 B. Classroom Assessment Practices and Tools 41 C. Levels of Questioning 43 D. Professional Capacity-Building Needs of Teachers on Assessment 44 E. Synthesis 45 Chapter 5: Improvement Strategies, Innovative Solutions, Future Challenges, and Funding Support in Assessment of Learning Outcomes in the Region 49 A. The Assessment System in the Region 49 B. Innovative Assessment Solutions 50 C. Challenges in Improving Strategies and Innovative Assessment Solutions 53 D. Conceptual Framework for Innovation in Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 61 References 67 Appendix 1: Student Assessment and Examination In Bangladesh 71 A. Student Learning Assessment System 72 B. Utilization of Assessment Results 87 C. Reforms Introduced for Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 92 D. Challenges and Opportunities in Assessment of Student Learning 94 E. Recommendations and Future Directions for Innovations in Assessment 103 References 112 Appendix 2: Student Assessment and Examination In Nepal 113 A. Assessment System in Nepalese Education 113 B. Assessment Results and Utilization 128 C. Issues and Reforms in Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 137 D. Recommendations and Future Directions for Innovation in Assessment 144 References 153 Appendix 3: Student Assessment and Examination In Sri Lanka 155 A. Assessment Systems for Student Learning Outcomes 155 B. Utilization of Assessment Results 177 C. Major Issues and Interventions Introduced 186 D. Recommendations and Future Directions for Innovation 190 References 201 Appendix 4: Classroom Assessment Preference Survey Questionnaire 203 TablES, FIGURES, AND BOXES Tables 1 Summary of Public Examinations: Purpose, Frequency, and Approaches 13 2 Summary of National Assessments by Type, Purpose, Frequency, and Approach 17 3 Summary of Commonly Used International and Regional Assessments 21 4 Means and Standard Deviations of Classroom Preferences of Teachers 40 5 Means and Standard Deviations of Classroom Practices and Tools 42 6 Means and Standard Deviations of Level of Questioning 43 7 Means and Standard Deviations of Professional Needs of Teachers on Assessment 44 A1.1 Bangladesh—Number of Schools, Students, and Teachers by Category, 2011 71 A1.2 Bangladesh—Summary of Student Assessment System 77 A1.3 Bangladesh—Governance of Assessment System 79 A1.4 Bangladesh—Statistical Tables on Technical and Vocational Education and Training 80 A1.5 Bangladesh— Statistical Tables on Higher Education 83 A1.6 Bangladesh—Mastery Scores of Grades 3 and 5 by Strata of Pupils in the 2008 National Assessment 89 A1.7 Bangladesh—Public Examinations Results, Various Years 90 A1.8 Bangladesh—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis Matrix 102 A2.1 Nepal—Weightage for Internal and External Assessments 121 A2.2 Nepal—Bodies Responsible for Assessment 124 A2.3 Nepal—Types, Modes, Frequency, and Tools of Assessment 127 A2.4 Nepal—Mean Percentage of Student Achievement in Different Studies 130 A2.5 Nepal—Good Practices and Opportunities for Improvement in Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 143 A3.1 Sri Lanka—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis Tables on School-Based Assessments 165 A3.2 Sri Lanka—Types, Purposes, Methods, Tools, and Frequency of Assessment at Different Levels 171 A3.3 Sri Lanka—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis for Assessments in the School System 174 A3.4 Sri Lanka—Grade 4 National Assessment of Learning Outcomes 178 A3.5 Sri Lanka—Achieving Mastery in First Language, Math, and English, Grade 4 Students by Province 179 vi T ables, Figures, and Boxes A3.6 Sri Lanka—National Assessments of Grade 8 Students 179 A3.7 Sri Lanka—Performance