The government is set to roll out ‘Assessment Tools’ across primary schools from July 1 for a six-month period to evaluate the quality of education nationwide.
As part of the initiative, ground-level data will be collected on various indicators, including student performance in grades 3 to 5, talent development, school attendance, the surrounding environment, and teaching methods.
Following a review of the collected data, the government plans to take practical measures to further enhance the quality and foundation of primary education.
Speaking to BSS, a senior official at the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education said: “The government aims to create a comprehensive picture of the primary education system through the ‘Assessment Tools’ from July 1 over the next six months.”
Supervision of the program will take place at multiple administrative levels. Deputy commissioners (DCs) will oversee the activities at the district level, upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) at the upazila level, and divisional commissioners at the divisional level.
Field-level education officers will also be deployed to address learning gaps among underperforming students, using insights gathered through the tools. “The government has formulated a detailed plan in this regard,” the official added.
In a letter issued on Wednesday, Md Kamrul Hasan, director (Policy and Operations) at the Directorate of Primary Education, announced the commencement of data collection through the tools in government primary schools.
According to the letter, the tools will assess learning outcomes in Bangla, Mathematics, and English for students in grades 3 to 5. Subject-specific work methods and plans have also been outlined to provide tone-based teaching and improve learning outcomes, especially for students who are lagging behind.
Head teachers and assistant teachers will be responsible for conducting the verification process at their respective schools.
To address existing learning gaps, a specific action plan will be implemented by school authorities between July 16 and 23, followed by further activities from July 24 to August 31.
Additionally, 25% of students in each school will undergo a re-assessment to monitor learning progress, with 10% of them undergoing detailed verification.
From July 1 to July 15, assessments will be carried out for one subject in one class each working day. In schools with higher student populations, an extra day may be allocated. Regular academic activities will continue alongside the assessments.
Kamrul Hasan expressed optimism that the initiative would help improve the overall quality of education, especially for students who are falling behind.
“We have many well-performing schools, but there are also some that are lagging. Our aim is to raise the quality of education across the board,” he said.