NEWS
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SEA-PLM 2019 ongoing technical activities for developing the final database
Each of the six participating countries achieved coding and data entry operations recently. National teams and operators applied standardised instructions and procedures for scoring students’ response into data sets template. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) coordinated regional and national operations in collaboration with national teams and invited participants to ensure consistency within and across countries-languages versions. Experts supported intense national data entry workshops, verification and cleaning tasks for preparing initial survey’s data sets.
ACER’s experts are currently implementing a complex data process for setting sample weights, applying variance estimation and reporting methodologic outputs as another intermediate phase for preparing the final database. In the coming weeks up to mid-year, technical activities will focus on scaling cognitive and contextual responses for setting the new SEA-PLM regional scales, indicators and final database. During these important technical milestones, the national teams of SEA-PLM 2019 participating countries will continue to be closely consulted, informed and trained about the methodology. This particularly includes a regular annual National Team Regional workshop which is scheduled to be convened during July - August 2020.
SEA-PLM 2019 results reporting will start as soon as the final database is completed and documented, aiming to release the main regional report on 1 December 2020.
The SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat and experts acknowledge stakeholders for their continued technical and financial commitment and support on the SEA-PLM programme.
Upcoming SEA-PLM events
- National Team Regional Workshop – July - August, Bangkok
For discussing the data cleaning and psychometric operations, setting the final proficiency scales and training national teams to use the data sets.
- 11thRegional Steering Committee – 25-27 August, Bangkok
For pre-launching SEA-PLM 2019 results and exchanging the SEA-PLM Programme short and long-term activities and opportunities. At distance consultation meeting may be organised earlier in the year for confirming SEA-PLM 2019 products and strategies on preparing the next round of assessment in 2023.
- Launch of SEA-PLM 2019 Regional Report – 1 December, Bangkok
For publicly releasing initial SEA-PLM 2019 regional products and results at the regional level with the objectives to promote better learning policies and practices.
Introducing the 2020 SEA-PLM Secretariat team
From left to right: Mr Antoine Marivin, Dr Wahyudi, Ms Weerawan Theeraroungchaisri, Dr Ethel Pascua Valenzuela, Dr Salita Soongsawang, Mr Italo Dutra, Ms Erin Tanner, and Dr Orawan Sriboonruang
We are excited to introduce the 2020 SEA-PLM Secretariat team who will coordinate all SEA-PLM activities. The Secretariat is responsible for planning, programming and implementing the SEA-PLM work plan as approved by the Regional Steering Committee, and in collaboration with participating countries and key partners.
Dr Salita Soongsawang joins the team as the new SEA-PLM Coordinator. She brings with her experience in managing human resource development programmes in Asia. She has recently obtained her doctoral degree in education, with a particular focus on ASEAN education cooperation, from the University of Melbourne, Australia. She is based at SEAMEO Secretariat in Bangkok to support the implementation, coordinate activities and oversee communications concerning the SEA-PLM programme.
Under a new partnership agreement for 2020, SEAMEO Secretariat and UNICEF teams will continue to closely collaborate to support the SEA-PLM Secretariat. Dr Ethel Pascua Valenzuela, Dr Wahyudi, Dr Orawan Sriboonruang and Ms Weerawan Theeraroungchaisri will remain key persons to lead the SEA-PLM programme on behalf of the SEAMEO Secretariat. For the UNICEF side, Mr Francisco Benavides, Ms Erin Tanner and Mr Antoine Marivin will continue to oversee the management of SEA-PLM programme. For the implementation of the final stage of SEA-PLM 2019 assessment, the Secretariat will carry on working closely with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to analyse and release the results.
SEA-PLM Secretariat looks forward to a collaborative and productive year ahead of working together with the Regional Steering Committee, Technical Advisory Group, national teams and key partners to achieve the completion of SEA-PLM 2019 data analysis and preparation for the launch of SEA-PLM regional report on 1 December 2020.
SEA-PLM endorsed at 42nd SEAMEO High Officials Meeting
The 42nd SEAMEO High Officials Meeting (HOM) 2019 was successfully held in Berkeley Hotel Pratunam in Bangkok, Thailand from 26 – 28 November 2019. The meeting serves as a platform for SEAMEO High Officials of member countries and associate member countries to discuss key policies, initiatives and programmes from across the region, with a range proposals and financial and programme updates submitted for review and endorsement.
A new working paper on SEA-PLM was shared with member and affiliate countries and partners highlighting the significant progress achieved by SEA-PLM in 2019 and previous years, in particular the completion of data collection for SEA-PLM 2019 and the confirmation of a new regional governance structure. The paper also requested recognition and support for the 2020 release of results and reports and the identification of sustainable long-term strategies around the transition to the second assessment round.
Based on country requests for additional information a short presentation was made by UNICEF EAPRO Education Specialist Erin Tanner. Non-participating countries Singapore and Brunei Darussalam expressed their ongoing support for the programme as Honorary members of the Regional Steering Committee. All progress and recomendations were endorsed by High Officials and will move for review and final endorsement at the next SEAMEO Council Meeting (SEAMEC).
SEA-PLM is forged out of the SEAMEO political framework, ensuring a strong sense of program ownership and belonging. The SEAMEO HOM along with SEAMEC are the key regional mechanism where approval, commitment and support for the programme is gained.
Malaysia completes data collection in hazy conditions
Malaysia has completed school data collection for the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) despite many schools forced to close and reschedule testing due to a toxic haze over some states. Even with the challenges that the uncontrollable environmental situation presented, the team from the Ministry of Education charged with managing the regional learning assessment worked around the clock to see the assessment administered following correct protocol and within the planned timeline.
Malaysia is the sixth and final country to conduct data collection for the first assessment round of SEA-PLM, with 160 schools from sixteen states participating in the assessment. Unlike other countries Malaysia is administering the test in not one but three languages. Primary schooling in Malaysia uses a multilingual language approach with students attending three different types of schools depending on their mother tongue and family preference: National schools teach in Malay, Tamil schools in Indian and Chinese schools in Chinese. Data collection began on September 17th and finished on the 11th October.
However, with the country having experienced the worst haze in five years the schedule of testing was severely affected. Measured by the Air Pollution Index (API), schools must close and send their students home if levels rise above 200, deemed to be an unhealthy level. Sadly, many schools, particularly in the states of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Pinang and Putrajaya and have seen just this. Some 1659 schools were closed in these states for the 19th and 20th of September. This included SEA-PLM sample schools.
Despite the difficult conditions the Technical Team from the Educational Planning and Research Division were highly organized with Plans A, B and C in place and ready to go. The coordinating central and district officers, along with school principals constantly checked government updates on school closures, making fast and efficient decisions around testing.
This was no easy feat. With a plethora of people involved in the coordination and implementation of the large-scale learning assessment, including government officers at the central, provincial and district level, school principals, test administrators, school coordinators, teachers and parents, communication needs to be swift and clear ensuring that all parties are informed on decisions.
Zahirah Zulkefli, Assistant Director of Selangor State Education Department, a state badly impacted by the haze, explains how she regularly checks her phone, often staying up past midnight for updates on the Air Pollution Index (API). Once it is announced that a participating school will be closed she begins the process of contacting the relevant people and identifying a time to re-schedule the test. This process is often repeated multiple times.
As the haze slowly cleared, the team were hopeful that all sample schools would complete testing within the planned timeline. And they were correct – all tests were administered and questionnaires collected by the 11th of October as originally planned. There will be little time for rest for the team, with data set to be coded almost immediately. In early November a data coding workshop will be held in Malaysia that provides training delivered by the Australian Council of Educational Research on SEA-PLM coding standards. With Malaysia coding their tests booklets from three different languages it is essential that the guidelines are applied consistently.
Without the dedication and hard work of all people involved in SEA-PLM Malaysia, the hazy conditions might have disrupted the final data collection, potentially impacting an already tight regional schedule. As it were the Malaysian Technical Team set the bar high in ensuring that smooth implementation of all assessment procedures, even when it was at times difficult to see ahead.
Meet the new Technical Advisory Group for SEA-PLM
Established mid-2019, the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for SEA-PLM plays a technical consultative and advisory role for SEA-PLM activities. By providing independent advice on SEA-PLM methodology and results the TAG provides a broader perspective on technical issues around the learning assessment, incorporating the expertise and experiences of learning assessment experts from around the region and globe. Through adding this additional technical oversight, SEA-PLM further ensures the delivery of high quality and reliable data.
The Chairs and members of the TAG are mandated for one SEA-PLM cycle and are selected by the SEA-PLM Secretariat. Meet the experts who make-up SEA-PLM 2019’s TAG!
TAG Co-Chairs
Dr. Jimin Cho – Korean Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation
Dr. Jimin Cho is a senior researcher and currently the Vice president of the Division of Educational Evaluation at the Korea Institute for Curriculum & Evaluation (KICE) in the Republic of Korea. She has an academic background in education specializing in educational psychology, including a Ph. D. from Michigan State University majoring in educational measurement and evaluation. Her major experience has been in developing the framework for student assessments, specifically in scoring and reporting based on in-depth analysis of various major assessments. Currently she is in charge of all international and national level of student assessments at Korea such as OECD programs, IEA projects, and National Assessment of Educational Achievement. She also currently serves in various capacities as a member of international steering committees for international and national evaluation projects.
Dr. Andres Sandoval Hernandez – University of Bath
Dr. Andres Sandoval is currently a Lecturer in Educational Research at the University of Bath in the UK. Prior to that, he worked as Head of the Research Unit at the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) in Hamburg, Germany, and held different academic appointments at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA) and the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO). Over the last few years, Dr Sandoval has also been a consultant for the ministries of education of several countries, for the World Bank, IADB, OECD, UNESCO, UIS, and other international organizations. His research interests include developing work around comparative analyses of educational systems using large-scale assessment data with a focus on educational inequalities and civic education.
Expert Members
Professor Esther Sui Chu Ho - The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research
Prof HO is the Professor of Education Administration and Policy and Director of the Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prof HO was the Project Manager of HKPISA-2000 to 2015 for 6 cylces, a Consultant for a number of PISA studies in several Chinese societies, and a Fulbright Scholar at Johns Hopkins University (2010). Furthermore, she has been a teaching and research assistant in the University of British Columbia, Canada and a teaching consultant for the World Bank in the District Primary Educational Program in India. Prof HO was also Primary and Secondary School teacher in Hong Kong.
Professor Nordin Abd Razak – School of Educational Studies, Universit Sains Malaysia
Dr Nordin Abd Razak is a Professor at the School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia. His areas of research interests include international large-scale assessment data analysis (such as TIMSS, PISA), quantitative research methodology, measurement and evaluation and applied statistical data analysis. He is a proficient instructor for large-scale assessments for secondary data analysis on TIMSS and PISA and is member and advisor to a range of different committees and projects for large-scale learning assessment including the Student Outcome Measures (SOM) Project, Malaysia’s national level research committee, the Network on Education Quality Monitoring in the Asia Pacific (NEQMAP) and Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment (HKCISA). Currently, Dr Nordin is the Senior Research Advisor/consultant for Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER), Malaysia and at the university level is the Statistical Advisor for the Institute of Postgraduate Studies.
Dr. Eugenio Gonzalez – Education Testing Service Research Institute and International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
Dr. Eugenio Gonzalez, has a vast and varied experience in the field of large-scale assessments in education. He is a Principal Research Project Manager at ETS and the Director of the IEA-ETS Research Institute. His previous positions include Head of the IEA’s Research & Analysis Unit, and Director of Quality Control and Field Operations at the US National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), and Director of Operations and Data Analysis for TIMSS and PIRLS.
Video of 10th Regional Steering Committee for SEA-PLM
Ministry of Education officials from across Southeast Asian nations came together in July 2019 at the 10th Regional Steering Committee meeting to discuss the first assessment round of Southeast Asia Learning Primary Learning Metric (SEA-PLM 2019). Looking ahead to 2020 in preparation for the final steps of this long-awaited assessment round, this meeting built regional consensus for the effective dissemination and use of results.
Consultation platforms such as the 10th Regional Steering Committee meeting are vital in aligning national and regional approaches, and to coordinate resources and efforts in the coming months to explore communication appraoches and reporting strategies.
Enjoy watching this video about the proceeding of the 10th Regional Steering Committee for SEA-PLM to stimulate future discussion around results and create new learning opportunities.
10th Regional Steering Committee strengthens regional dialogue for SEA-PLM
A key distinguishing factor of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) is that it is entirely embedded into existing national and regional systems and structures. At the centre of its governance structure sits the Regional Steering Committee (RSC). Composed of core and honorary members, core being those countries participating in SEA-PLM, and honorary being non-participating ASEAN and SEAMEO Countries and key partners, the RSC is responsible for the strategic direction of SEA-PLM.
In July 2019, the 10th Regional Steering Committee for SEA-PLM was held in Bangkok. 2019 represents a significant milestone for SEA-PLM with data being collected for the first assessment round SEA-PLM (SEA-PLM 2019). The meeting focused on preparing countries for the analysis, dissemination and use of results in 2020. Held over two and half days, countries and participants shared their experiences of using national, regional and international large-scale learning assessments to improve learning policy, looking particularly at the possibilities for analysis and ways to maximise use of data. Reflecting on and integrating these experiences are essential for a new regional learning assessment such as SEA-PLM.
Hosted by SEAMEO Secretariat and UNICEF EAPRO, the meeting was attended by represetatives from the six participating countries Cambodia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, as well as honorary representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Thailand, and key partners, the Australian Council for Educational Research, UNESCO Bangkok and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
SEA-PLM is designed to create regional dialogue around quality learning in Southeast Asia, the RSC provides the platform for this exchange.
As well as these members, joining the Committee for the first time were Co-Chairs of the newly created Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Established for the purpose of providing independent scientific and technical advice on SEA-PLM methodology and data, Co-Chairs and learning assessment experts Dr Andres Sandoval from the University of Bath and Dr Jimin Cho, Director of the Korean Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) proved themselves to be valuable additions to the discussion.
Along with other key partners, both Co-Chairs presented important insights into the realities of planning and implementing for the analysis, reporting and dissemination phases, supported countries to look towards the year ahead and deepen their understanding of the steps and issues that require national consideration and agreement.
SEA-PLM 2019 results will be captured in one main regional report and six country level reports. The process to developing, reviewing and releasing these reports is fraught with a multitude of variables with the potential to impact the use of results. It is vital to the success of SEA-PLM 2019 that all activities and potential barriers are mapped out and planned in detail.
As UNICEF Regional Education Advisor Francisco Benavides and Co-Chair of the Regional Steering Committee stressed, it is through the collective effort at the regional and national level that has both enabled the creation of SEA-PLM and will be central to its success. With 2020 to present increasingly more technical and logistical challenges on a constrained calendar, it is ever more important that these partnerships are maximized on to deliver the vision of SEA-PLM.
Regional Learning Assessment to Help Lao Government Better Understand Student Learning Outcomes and How to Improve Them
"Learning means knowledge, and getting a job", said 10-year-old Phoudthalith, sitting under the shade of a tree outside her small classroom in Vientiane.
For Phoudthalith, and many of her friends, the priority is getting good grades in Lao language and mathematics, learning by rote from the blackboard. When asked about what the most fun part of learning is, Phoudthalith looks uncertain about how to answer.
Across Southeast Asia, teachers, schools and governments are trying to move from a knowledge-based curriculum to one based on competency, with a focus on critical thinking and developing skills that can be transferred outside the classroom. Lao PDR is in the process of transforming its primary school curriculum, improving teacher training and placing resources where they can best help student learning outcomes.
But to do this, Governments need to know where they are at right now and how to develop strategies to improve.
One of the key tools for this is the Southeast Asian Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), being of UNICEF and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO), in close collaboration with the Ministries of Education in the region.
Put plainly, SEA-PLM is a regional learning assessment - the large-scale collection of data on student learning outcomes from schools across Southeast Asia, and the use of that information to inform curriculum development, teacher training and education policy.
Collecting this data in line with standardized practices in places like Lao PDR presents many challenges for the teams charged with coordination and communication.
From calling hundreds of schools to ask for up-to-date student lists to training and organising 216 test administrators to travel to schools across the country, the Lao technical team based at the Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES) in Vientiane have learnt many valuable lessons when it comes to planning and communication. These are skills that not only apply to SEA-PLM, but can be used in the design and management of national assessments.
Just as a microscope is adjusted to the correct lens to see specific cells, so does the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) provide the tools and criteria to meet a more dynamic approach to learning. Students complete assessment booklets in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and global citizenship, engaging in both knowledge and competency based questions.
But SEA-PLM goes deeper than this.
Test administrators also have parents, teachers and principals complete questionnaires to gain an understanding on the context in which children learn. What was the level of pre-reading before entering school? Is gender an issue? Are students being supported to do their homework and do they have access to learning material at home? SEA-PLM enables deeper level analysis of why students are and aren't learning well.
The Lao technical team have been working in collaboration with the UNICEF Lao Country Office and the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) to prepare for the collection of data for many months now. From the 30th April until 8th May Lao PDR implemented data collection for SEA-PLM.
Now, the Lao technical team members will begin marking and coding the written answers in the booklets into a code that can be compared against tests in other countries and other languages. The results from all six Southeast Asian nations involved will be compiled in one unique and complex regional database to allow reliable analysis on the level of student outcomes and equity at the regional, national and sub-national level.
The learning assessment will give an empirical snapshot of how countries, schools, pupils are faring in specific areas according to their environment for instance, type of difficulties in reading comprehension between socio-economic backgrounds or how girls and boys are learning.
For each country, the data will provide the opportunity to make informed decisions on how to shape policy and where to place resources.
For the individuals involved in the data collection and analysis, there will be specific skills learned that can translate to other areas of research and hopefully, a broadening of their understanding about what education could and should look like in cities and villages across Lao PDR.
And for children like Phoudthalith, and perhaps her children in the future, the idea of learning might be less about remembering what gets written on the blackboard, but how to learn and where that might take them.
Cambodia Prepares Test Administrators in Battambang
From June 10th until12th the Cambodian Technical Team organised the training of over 250 Test Administrators and School Coordinators at Battambang University, Battambang. All SEA-PLM participant countries implement a standardized training to those selected to coordinate and administer the tests to students and questionnaires to students, parents, teachers and principals. This is to ensure the same steps and script is applied consistently across all schools.
Learning assessment, described by Director of Education Quality Assurance Department (EQAD) Mr. Ung Chinna as the current "pop-star of education" in Cambodia, is receiving increased emphasis at the policy level, promoting the better use of information generated through assessment to form the basis of education reform across relevant departments and key stakeholders. SEA-PLM plays an important role in this transition. Through providing capacity development to EQAD staff in how to manage large-scale assessments at international standards, the team are able to apply these standards to national and international assessments, and increasingly advocate for the need of assessment from the national to school level.
It is also through the support of major partners such as UNICEF that this growing focus and capacity in using learning assessments to identify gaps and inform educational reform is achieved. UNICEF Cambodia is a vital partner for SEA-PLM in Cambodia, contributing both funding and organisational support to its implementation.
The training, mostly delivered by Technical Team Manager Mr. Sar Sarin, was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, UNICEF Country Office, SEAMEO Secretariat and the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER).
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The 4th Strategic Dialogue for the Education Ministers
H E Dr Maszlee Malik, Minister of Education Malaysia and SEAMEO Council President welcomed the delegates to the 4th Strategic Dialogue for Education Ministers (SDEM) and invited them to listen to some expert perspectives on Sustainable Development Goals specifically on Inclusive and Equitable Education and Lifelong Learning, Technology and the Future of Education as well as Partnership and Collaboration for the Future of Education. In his remarks, he pointed out that the forum is directed to cover issues and progress that support the implementation of the SEAMEO Education Agenda and 7 Priority Areas toward the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 4.
The 4th Strategic Dialogue for Education Ministers was led by the SEAMEO Secretariat in collaboration with UNESCO Bangkok Office. There were roundtable sessions with highly respected speakers to deliver thematic keynote presentations.
Session I Theme: Sustainable Development Goals and the Implications for the Inclusive and Equitable Education and Lifelong Learning in Southeast Asia
In this session, Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi presented UNESCO's views on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by outlining three key messages;
- Southeast Asia (SEA) countries are not on track to achieve the SDGs.
- SEA will not achieve the SDGs by 2030, particularly SDG4 with current practices.
- SEA must change according to current times and trends.
He reiterated that the SDGs must be reinterpreted critically in light of the new challenges of current times and the shifting demands from the job market. He urged SEAMEO members to discuss, deliberate and determine the next key recommendations that will consider these issues.
This session was followed by a roundtable discussion led by Ms Azlina Kamal, an Education Specialist of UNICEF Malaysia as the moderator. The session aims to get the reflections, insights as well as experiences on the said theme from the panelists H E Dr Maszlee Malik, Minister of Education, Malaysia; H E Assoc Prof Dr Khamphay Sisavanh, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Lao PDR; H E Dr Leonor Magtolis Briones, Secretary of Education, Philippines; and H E U Win Maw Tun, Deputy Minister of Education, Myanmar.
Session II Theme: The Future of Education: Leveraging Technology in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for Quality and Equitable Education
In this session, Dr Fengchun Miao, Chief of the Unit for ICT in Education, UNESCO Headquarters presented the future of education to address leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to achieve SDG 4 - Education 2030 by outlining the issues include:
- How to ensure ethical, inclusive & equitable use of AI in education?
- How can education prepare humans to live and work with AI?
- How can AI be leveraged to enhance or reinvent education?
In this opportunity also, UNESCO extended an invitation to audience to participate in 2019 UNESCO ICT in Education Prize with the theme "The Use of AI to Innovate Education, Teaching and Learning", on 31 October 2019.
This session was followed by a roundtable session led by Dr Chantavit Sujatanond, SEAMEO RIHED Director as the moderator. The session aims to get the reflections, insights as well as experiences on the said theme from the panelists H E Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Hamzah bin Hj Sulaiman, Minister of Education, Brunei Darussalam; Dr Totok Suprayitno, Head of Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Education and Culture, Indonesia; H E Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education, Singapore; and H E Prof Dr Phung Xuan Nha, Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam.
Session III Partnership and Collaboration for the Future of Education in Southeast Asia.
In this session, Mr Francisco Benavides, UNICEF Education Advisor, UNICEF EAPRO delivered the topic of partnership focusing on how partnerships and collaborations will help us in the future. Instead of trying to stress on the importance of partnerships, he seeks to bring to the floor some elements or evidences of how some partnerships can lead to successful results or failures in educational reforms. The first part of the presentation is to link this partnership approach. The key points discussed are as follows:
- Why partnerships and the SDG agenda?
- Education challenges and evidence from successful reforms
- Types of partnerships and examples in the EAP region
- Some ideas for reflection
He spoke on governments with strategies that will benefit children. He underlined that clear vision and strong leadership from all sectors are crucial to create a strong partnership and collaboration. There is no question about the importance of having a vision that is embraced and led by a group of people leading which in this case are the ministers of education.
After the session a roundtable discussion led by Mr Hyun Mook Lim, Director, UNESCO APCEIU as the moderator. The roundtable discussion aims to get the reflections, insights as well as experiences on the said theme from the panelists H E Dr Maszlee Malik, Minister of Education, Malaysia and SEAMEO Council President; H E Dr Nath Bunroeun, Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia; Ms Duriya Amatativat, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education, Thailand; H E Mr Maria Olandina Isable Caeiro Alves, Ambassador
Session VI Voices from Associate Member Countries
Ms Bernadine Caruana, Counsellor (Education & Science), Australian High Commission, Malaysia; and Ministry of Education and Training, Australia shared her perspective on the future of education and future work and the drive to build 21st century skills. She mentioned that bringing in technologies and innovations can only be done through partnerships. She added that the speed of change is so great that if we are not working together nor building on each other's knowledge would be a loss. Working together to gain faster outcomes is for the betterment of the nation.
Mr David G Ferron Priestley, Counsellor for Education in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and India, Embassy of Spain in Canberra; and Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Spain talked about the aspects of EU Post ET 2020 which has similar goals like SEAMEO. He focused on the Post ET 2020 Strategy which is based on the Gothernburg Pillar of Social Rights. He identified five significant aspects that guaranty equality, quality, and equity. The five aspects include education, artificial intelligence, life-long learning, and languages.
At the end of the session, the SEAMEO Secretariat Director, Dr Ethel Agnes Pascua Valenzuela presented the Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers of Education: Commitment to Action which had been presented to the ministers which testify the commitment of the SEAMEO members.
The document testifies the commitment of the SEAMEO Ministers of Education which contains the SDG goals presented in the conference as well as AI and situations in each member country.
The document also conveys a commitment to action among the SEAMEO member countries as well as affiliate institutions and partners on three key areas:
- to work cooperatively to promote inclusive education driven by innovation and empowering a new generation of teachers and lifelong learners in the use of digital technology
- to create a policy environment that will help bridge the digital divide and pursue digital transformation in a more systemic level through informed policymaking assisted by SEAMEO Centres research and development initiatives, promoting relevant and contextualized pedagogy for the digital era
- to encourage partnerships and alliances that create and build an innovative SEAMEO educational ecosystem where mutual ideas can be created and promoted paving new ways of learning and teaching beyond teaching technological skills.
To close the 4th Strategic Dialogue for Education Ministers, H E Dr Maszlee Malik, Minister of Education, Malaysia thanked everyone for their participation and attendance. The keynote speeches and roundtables were presented highlighting three important themes. The first roundtable focused on the SDGs and the quest for more inclusive and equitable learning. He thanked the Deputy Ministers of Education from Lao PDR, the Philippines and Myanmar for sharing their educational programmes which moved towards universal access to free basic education. He closed his remarks by stressing that the success of SDGs hinges upon the ability to collect and analyse data successfully as well as ensuring that education is a collective responsibility from every level of society.
Behind the Scenes of SEA-PLM in the Philippines
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) and the United Nations Child Fund (UNICEF), as well as the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), the technical consortium of SEA-PLM have spent many years working with participating countries to develop, trial and improve the technical and logistical procedures and roles needed to successfully implement the large-scale regional assessment.
This being said with SEA-PLM being embedded within national education systems the practicalities of preparing for the assessment differs slightly in each country, depending on its individual education structures and mechanisms.
So what does SEA-PLM actually look like at a country level?
To take a
closer look at the in-country roles and functions of SEA-PLM we head to the Philippines who implemented main survey data collection during February. With the involvement of 16 regions, 119 Divisions, and 176 schools the archipelagic nation has had to be meticulous in its approach for preparing all relevant parties for the first round of SEA-PLM.
For each participating country, a Technical Team Manager (TTM) and Technical Team (TT) including positions such as school contact person, logistics coordinator, sampling coordinator, coding coordinator, data manager, and administration staff are appointed.
At the heart of SEA-PLM coordination in the Philippines sits the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) of the Department of Education (DepEd), with Chief Education Program Specialist Ms. Gretchen Cordero assigned as Technical Team Manager. Responsible for the coordination of all activities at the national level and the supervision of the Technical Team, Ms Gretchen is coordinating not one but three large-scale learning assessments. A priority of this year is to look into our system of assessment and see how our students are faring compared to other countries in the region.
Core tasks of the Technical Team include the selection and training orientation of School Coordinators and Test Administrators, the translation, review, printing, and distribution of test booklets and questionnaires, student sampling and quality monitoring.
Ms. Gretchen commented that overall the preparation process had run smoothly, a minor challenge however was that half of the test booklets had to be printed in-house due to procurement processes. This meant a lot of late nights for my staff to ensure that all booklets were printed in time!
So what about the school level?
Similar to the Technical Team there are multiple roles required at the front line of school testing. Two essential positions are that of the School Coordinator (SC) and Test Administrator (TA). In the case of the Philippines, the additional position of District Testing Coordinator (DTC) plays a significant role in supporting School Coordinators and preparing schools for testing.
DTC Ms. Remylinda T. Soriano explained to us how she had coordinated the orientation session with teachers, parents, and students ensuring they understood the purpose of SEA-PLM and what would be required from them on the testing day. With the testing day finally upon them, Ms. Remylinda shared what a happy day it was and how proud the school was to have been selected to represent the Philippines.
For security purposes test booklets and questionnaires are not delivered to the school until the testing day meaning that parents, teachers, principals, and students all complete the test and questionnaires on the same day. The task of assessment material delivery and collection is that of a National Quality Control Monitor (NQCM). NQCMs are from the central level and also fulfill the purpose of school observation, filling out standard checklists and reporting back to the Technical Team.Â
When the testing day finally arrives it is the Test Administrators moment to shine. Test Administrators are selected from different schools than those participating in the assessment and all undergo training to orient them towards their role. One Test Administrator Mr Benjamin Cruz Junior described the testing process to be straightforward, with the detailed instructions and script provided it is simply a matter of following it.
It is because of these people and many more that national data collection for SEA-PLM is made possible. A core priority of SEA-PLM is the capacity building of national teams to prepare and implement learning assessments at an internationally recognised standard. In the Philippines, the impact of the preparation, training and support process of these key roles, as well as the utilization of existing DepEd structures and mechanisms have all contributed to the strengthening of local capacity and the successful collection of school data for SEA-PLM.
SEA-PLM 2019 Begins in Myanmar
The first regional assessment of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) entered its final stretch on the 28th January, with Myanmar being the first country to begin data collection in schools. This large-scale survey will take place in Myanmar, Philippines, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia during 2019 according to the different school calendars.
Led through the cooperative tradition among Ministries of Education in the region, SEA-PLM is a project jointly managed by the Southeast Asian Ministers for Education Organisation (SEAMEO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). With the shared vision of improving and redefining learning outcomes, SEA-PLM provides metrics that are founded within the regional context and inclusive of 21st Century skills.
The implementation of the first assessment is the culmination of 5 years' worth of research, capacity building, and field trials, all to develop a suitable set of assessment and survey instruments specifically designed for the region. For each of the participating countries, approximately 3500 grade 5 students enrolled in an average of 150 schools are randomly selected to represent their country. The Australian Council of Education Research (ACER) an independent technical operator is used to select schools and students, providing technical support to national teams as they prepare and implement the assessment.
Deputy Director of the Department of Myanmar Examinations Mr. Aung Htike has been working as a SEA-PLM Technical Team Manager since June 2015 and is highly experienced in the management of large-scale learning assessments. Leading a Technical Team made up of 35 members from seven different Departments and Universities across Myanmar, Mr. Aung with his team coordinated the first assessment in 202 schools across the country. To successfully achieve this huge undertaking, Myanmar uses the Six C approach; Commitment, Capacity, Communication, Collaboration, Consistency, and Coordination.
Over a three-week period, 5715 students undertook standardized tests in Myanmar language in reading, mathematics, writing, and global citizenship. One Myanmar teacher shared how she could not sleep the night before the test because she felt so nervous and excited to be chosen to participate. To paint a fuller picture of the factors contributing to learning outcomes the principals, teachers, and parents of selected students also complete background surveys. While all tests and questionnaires are anonymous and not designed to assess the individual performance of students or teachers, it is still a nerve-racking experience to be chosen to represent your country.
An important element of SEA-PLM is to ensure comparability and consistency of the meaning of test items between countries. Questions are similar in all participating countries and have been designed in collaboration with national and international experts, reflecting the disciplinary domains and cognitive processes considered important to have been achieved by students by the end of primary school.
The road to developing comparable and suitable test items and assessment tools have been a long and complex one. In order to design suitable metrics, surveys and assessment tools were trialed during 2018 in 7 different countries on reduced school samples. In Myanmar, Mr. Aung and his team participated in this process by joining in multiple capacity building workshops and implementing field trial assessments in 35 schools during November 2016.
Countries have committed considerable human and financial resources to this assessment because they can see that it has something very important to offer them. SEA-PLM will generate key data on each country's context on how students perform in school and what factors are affecting learning outcomes. From these gaps in national education policy and systems can be identified and improved.
What is impressive about SEA-PLM Mr. Aung says is that it both assesses the four different domains and that the items of these four domains are specifically tailored for Southeast Asian students, allowing them to apply their knowledge and learnings in real life situations.
