32
PRIMER ON LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENTS OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
in implementation of the assessment and reporting of results. For example, a group within the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, which is separate from the MoE, develops and administers Saudi Arabia’s National Assessment of Learning Outcomes (box 3.1). In some cases, implementation may be the responsibility of a technical unit within the MoE. Box 3.2 describes the relationship between Malaysia’s MoE and the Malaysian Examination Syndicate, a technical unit in the MoE in charge of developing and implementing all national large-scale assessments and examinations in the country. Despite the differences in their institutional structures and overall scope of work, the Malaysian Examination Syndicate and Saudi Arabia’s Education and Training Evaluation Commission have similar responsibilities in terms of the work they are supposed to perform in their country’s national large-scale assessment program. NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE
MoEs usually establish a national steering committee (NSC) to provide oversight, guidance, and feedback during the planning phase of a national large-scale assessment exercise and to ensure that design decisions support the stated goals and meet the information needs of key stakeholders. Committee members are expected
BOX 3.1. Saudi Arabia’s Education and Training Evaluation Commission In 2017, the organization formerly known as the Education Evaluation Authority became the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). ETEC is in charge of the evaluation and accreditation of education and training programs in Saudi Arabia. It enjoys legal, financial, and administrative independence from the Ministry of Education and reports directly to the prime minister. It has the authority to evaluate, measure, and accredit qualifications in the field of education and training for the public and private sectors and to increase their quality, efficiency, and contribution to the service of the economy and national development. Core responsibilities of the ETEC are as follows: • Set national standards for educational evaluation, training, and general education curricula • Promote measurement and testing work and services in the education and training system • Conduct evaluation and institutional accreditation in the education and training system • License professionals and workers in education and training • Evaluate the performance of educational and training institutions and programs ending with a qualification • Use the results of education and training evaluations to raise their quality and their contribution to the service of the economy and national development • Develop key indicators, advise and consult, provide research, and support innovation. Source: Adapted from Education and Training Evaluation Commission 2020.
