Learning Assessments
Advancing Equitable Education Access
With rigor, we generate robust evidence on learning outcomes by and with the citizen volunteers through oral one-on-one assessments conducted in households. Through partnership with the community and the county partners generate independent evidence on learning outcomes through citizen-led learning assessment in basic literacy and numeracy among children aged 6-15 years to stimulate evidence-based policies that would result in equitable learning for all children.
We have regularly conducted assessments to evaluate learning outcomes among primary school children in Kenya, and the results reveal the actual status of literacy and numeracy competencies among the children. We use the findings to engage with policy actors and citizens to address the learning crisis. Usawa Agenda uses the citizen-led learning assessment approach and methodology pioneered by the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) in India, where trained citizen volunteers carry out learning assessments on children’s competencies in literacy and numeracy at the households.
Learning Assessment Stages
Our assessment processes are undertaken in systematic preparations which include the pre-assessment, assessment, post-assessment, and communication and engagement.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 1
Pre-Assessment Stage
This includes setting up the accountability systems which involve processing of a research permit which is key in giving Usawa Agenda the legal authority to conduct research in Kenya. This is followed by the generation of assessment sample with support from experts from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. At the Pre-Assessment stage, we also recruit county partners and conduct due diligence on every county partner to support the learning assessment and communication activities in the respective counties. The county partners are undertaken through orientation together with the heads of organisations. The County Coordinator acts as key liaison on all matters on the assessment; attends training; conducts visits to the sampled enumeration areas (EA) recruits volunteers and conducts EA mapping and household listing; provided a lead in volunteer training, monitors the assessment, and makes a report back to Usawa Agenda.
At the pre-assessment stage, the learning assessment and related activities utilise a series of materials, which are designed, pre-tested, piloted, and printed ahead of the first round of training. The materials include a call for volunteer poster; household listing booklet; Test Booklet, The Survey Tool (which is provided digitally); Training Manual, the Village coordinator workbook, the Volunteer Manual, and Training Appendices.
Stage 2
Assessment stage
The data collection and assessment processes are regarded as a critical opportunity to communicate the learning assessment findings to the public. The timing for the assessments is carefully considered with the education calendar in view. National assessments may primarily be conducted at the end or the start of the school calendar year. During the assessment, we collect data at household, community (village) and school levels. The volunteers collect the data using the survey instruments that have been reviewed by the Usawa Agenda research team to ensure consistency, reliability, and validity. Children are tested in the household environment. The age of children to be tested is guided by the official entry age to pre-primary school as per the Ministry of Education regulations (i.e. 4 years). The upper age limit is 15 years. Respondents are interviewed using the appropriate medium of technology. Volunteers may use booklets or tablets depending on the advice and guidance. The Secretariat is responsible for monitoring the data collection process across the country.
Stage 3
Process recheck
This takes place within three weeks after the completion of data collection. The secretariat select independent and unbiased team to support the staff and conduct the recheck in the field. Using an agreed approach (such as LQAS), the sampling expert samples counties to undergo a comprehensive process recheck.
The expert randomly samples the counties for the process recheck. The secretariat ultimately produces a report of key lessons after each cycle, which also informs the next cycle of citizen-led assessment.
Stage 4
Communication and engagement
Once the learning assessment report is finalised, it is released within four (4) months, from the last day of assessment. Web-version datasets are uploaded on the Usawa Agenda website within four (4) weeks of the learning assessment report launch. The Data is organised and presented in a format that allows quick generation of simple tables, counts, and measurements.
The Data Management System and the Data Protection Act guide the data access and use.
The findings are disseminated at all levels using traditional and non-traditional methods targeting specific audiences and in line with the Usawa Agenda’s Engagement guidelines, including but not limited to interactive online data maps, static print maps, interactive online visualizations, County ranking sheets, static print infographics and, online data queries. Qualitative and quantitative information on the types of consumers of learning data is collected using all channels possible to guide the communications decisions.
