UW–Madison’s Kirchgasler outlines how the citizen-led assessment advances a global education reform agenda in Kenya
UW–Madison's Kirchgasler outlines how the citizen-led assessment advances a global education reform agenda in ... University of Wisconsin–Madison
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A Popular Assessment in Kenya Advances Global Education Reform Agenda
April 25, 2024
By Laurel White
A popular assessment of literacy and numeracy in Kenya does more to advance a global education reform agenda than serve the needs of individual schools or students, according to a new paper from a School of Education faculty member.
The article, published in Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, argues the citizen-led assessment (CLA), which measures and publicizes learning levels in schools, produces a sense of crisis by projecting poor learning outcomes, mobilizes public sentiment in order to spur action, and contributes to a global education reform movement.
The Role of Citizen-Led Assessment in Advancing Global Education Reform
Christopher Kirchgasler, assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, co-authored the article with doctoral student Seongho Choi. Kirchgasler says the analysis shows why so-called “social accountability tools” like the CLA deserve closer scrutiny.
“This article makes visible the CLA’s role in directing families, government officials, and the public at large to take specific actions to reform Kenya’s education system to more closely align with global norms for literacy and numeracy instruction focused on measuring competencies,” he says. “By doing so, the CLA advances a global agenda that appears as if it had occurred from the ‘bottom-up.’”
Unveiling the Mechanisms of Citizen-Led Assessment
The analysis outlined in the article was based on interviews with experts and a review of the tool’s technical literature.
Kirchgasler says the inquiry lifted the veil on how the assessment was carefully designed to produce and spread information about the nature of educational inequalities, which it deliberately deemed a “learning crisis.” The designation of such a crisis, he argues, leads to public and media outcry that spurs support for education reforms tied to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal benchmarks for literacy and numeracy. The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
Advancing Understanding of Citizen-Led Assessment
Kirchgasler began studying the CLA almost a decade ago as part of his doctoral fieldwork in Kenya. He hopes this most recent publication will fill a crucial gap in understanding the precise mechanisms by which the CLA seeks to drive changes in schools.
“We hope that by revealing the mechanisms by which a social accountability tool performs — rather than reveals — a crisis, we turn scrutiny back towards the politics of global norms and values that mark large swaths of the global South as if ‘in crisis,’ justifying expert intervention,” he says.
About Christopher Kirchgasler
Kirchgasler is affiliated with the African Studies Program and the Holtz Center for Science & Technology Studies. Broadly, his research draws upon postcolonial and postfoundational approaches to analyze the values and norms in curriculum and school reforms in order to understand how they generate differences and exclusions. One area of his research is transnational and includes studies of migrant inclusion, global assessments, teacher observation systems, and low-fee, for-profit schooling, particularly in Africa, Europe, and North America. The second vein of his work concerns historicizing educational knowledge, including psychological concepts such as curiosity and grit, and curricular design principles such as efficiency and community voice.
Read the full article, “Performing a global learning crisis: citizen-led assessments, social accountability, and directing democracy,” here.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 4: Quality Education
The article discusses the citizen-led assessment (CLA) in Kenya, which aims to measure and publicize learning levels in schools. This assessment is connected to SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
- Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.
The article highlights the CLA’s role in measuring learning outcomes in schools. By addressing the issue of educational inequalities and advocating for education reforms, the CLA contributes to achieving Target 4.1. Additionally, by promoting equal access to education for all, regardless of gender or vulnerability, it aligns with Target 4.5.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
- Indicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile, and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples, etc.) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated.
The article mentions that the CLA measures literacy and numeracy competencies in schools. These competencies can be used as indicators to measure progress towards Indicator 4.1.1, which focuses on the proportion of children achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. Additionally, the CLA’s aim to eliminate educational disparities aligns with Indicator 4.5.1, which measures parity indices for various education indicators.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. | Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations. | Indicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile, and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples, etc.) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: education.wisc.edu
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