To identify learning gaps and design appropriate interventions, the Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered the conduct of a rapid assessment in the school year (SY) 2021–2022 for learning recovery which will cover students in public and private schools.
Signed by Education Secretary Leonor Briones, the DepEd Order No. 27, s. 2022 outlined the conduct of rapid assessment which will also serve as a preparation for the 2024 baseline system assessment.
DepEd, through the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) and with the assistance of regional offices (ROs) and schools division offices (SDOs), will administer the Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (ELLNA), the National Achievement Test for Grade 6 (NATG6), and National Achievement Test for Grade 12 (NATG12) for School Year (SY) 2021-2022.
The ELLNA is scheduled from June 7 to 17, 2022 for current Grade 3 pupils of SY 2021−2022 in public schools.
The NATG6, also scheduled from June 7 to 17, 2022, is for Grade 6 students of SY 2021−2022 in both public and private schools.
Paper-based sampling will be used as a method of administration for ELLNA and NATG6.
Meanwhile, the NATG12 is scheduled from June 13 to 21, 2022. It is for students in public and private schools who are currently in Grade 12 of SY 2021−2022. It will be administered through computer-based sampling.
The conduct of the tests is under DepEd Order (DO) No. 029, s. 2021 or the School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2021−2022.
DepEd said that as a rapid assessment, the administration of a representative sample of schools and students before the end of SY 2021−2022 will “serve as an indicator for the central learning gaps in the entire system.”
“After the sampling test administration, the test instruments shall be furnished to all regions for administration in schools under their respective jurisdiction within SY 2022−2023 to facilitate school-based rapid assessment of learning gaps and to design regional, division, or school level interventions,” Briones said in the DepEd Order.
In preparation for establishing a new system assessment baseline in 2024, Briones said that BEA --- in close coordination with the regional directors --- shall also use the school-based administration of the test instruments in SY 2022−2023 as an opportunity to create greater awareness of the national assessments.
This can be done by sharing the testing framework as well as the anticipated testing dates and sampling design through a written document addressed to teachers and learners; providing familiarization materials; and facilitating information campaigns to encourage participation and generate support from the school communities, among others.
“The system assessment to be administered at the end of the SY 2023−2024 shall constitute the new national assessment baseline for basic education,” Briones said in the DepEd Order.
“It shall be given to a census-based population, which refers to the inclusion of all regions, divisions, and schools in the test, while students who will take the test in the participating schools shall be randomly selected,” she added.
Briones noted that a new baseline is “necessary” to refine quality standards covered by the assessments, introduce hybrid test administration modalities such as paper-based and computer-based assessments in data collection, ensure alignment with school-based assessments through awareness raising, and identify complementary quality standards beyond those covered by the national assessments to ensure a holistic evaluation of education quality.
After the conduct of the 2024 baseline assessment, Briones said that it shall be regularly administered every three years.
During the interval years, Briones said that the regional offices (ROs) through their Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) coordinating with the Curriculum and Implementation Division (CID) of their schools' division offices (SDOs) are allowed to implement local assessments, adopting an assessment framework and methodology in consultation with BEA.
Results of the system assessments, she added, shall be integrated into DepEd’s main database and information systems.
This will also be included in the monitoring and evaluation data for quality outcomes under the Basic Education Development Plan (BEDP) 2030.