Benchmarks: Using Data to Set Evidence-based Targets to Improve Learning Proficiency

In a recent blog, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Global Education Monitoring Report explored how benchmarks can be used to  accelerate progress towards SDG 4.  To further these discussions, the UIS has released a new report, entitled Evidence-based Projections and Benchmarks for SDG Indicator 4.1.1, which focuses on how countries can use existing data to set develop projections and benchmarks for the percentage of children reaching minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.

The report builds on a previous report, entitled How Fast Can Levels of Proficiency Improve? Examining Historical Trends to Inform SDG 4.1.1 Scenarios. It found, for instance, that the most successful developing countries have improved the percentage of primary pupils who are proficient, by 2.0 percentage points a year. We can therefore say that it is not unrealistic to expect, say, the percentage of Grade 4 pupils who are proficient in reading to improve from 40% to 60% in ten years – which amounts to 2.0 percentage points a year……………………