4.1.1A

Last updated: October 2018

ENG

NA

Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

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

This metadata covers part (a) of indicator 4.1.1: proportion of children and young people in grades 2/3 achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.

Institutional informationPermalink

Organization(s)Permalink

UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS)

Concepts and definitonsPermalink

DefinitionPermalink

Proportion of children and young people in grades 2/3 achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.

RationalePermalink

The higher the figure the higher the proportion of children and/or young people reaching at least minimum proficiency in the respective domain (reading or mathematic) with the limitations indicated under the “Comments and limitations” section.

ConceptsPermalink

Minimum proficiency level is the benchmark of basic knowledge in a domain (mathematics, reading, etc.) measured through learning assessments. Until August 2018, there was no globally agreed definition on minimum proficiency level. As an interim reporting strategy, the UIS has been reporting according to the minimum proficiency level defined by each assessment.

Minimum proficiency levels defined by each learning assessment The table below shows the minimum proficiency levels for each learning assessment by target grade/age and domain. Due to heterogeneity of performance levels set by national and cross-national assessments, these performance levels will be mapped to the globally-defined minimum performance levels and policy descriptors, agreed upon in September 2018 (see 4.1.1. UIS request for reclassification 2018.09.28.docx) that will allow pedagogical linking. Once the performance levels are mapped, the global education community will be able to identify for each country the proportion or percentage of children who achieved at least minimum proficiency levels.

Table 1. Minimum proficiency levels defined by each learning assessmentPermalink

Comments and limitationsPermalink

Learning outcomes from national school- or household-based learning assessments are not automatically comparable across countries unless they are linked by design. Learning outcomes from cross-national learning assessment are automatically comparable for countries which participated in the same cross-national learning assessments, but they are not comparable across different cross-national learning assessments without further analytical effort.

Comparability over time is possible if the assessment is designed with an adequate linking process between waves of administration. This is described in the note “4.1.1. UIS request for reclassification 20181001.docx.”

MethodologyPermalink

Computation methodPermalink

The number of children and/or young people at the relevant stage of education $n$ in year $t$ achieving at least the pre-defined proficiency level in subject $s$ expressed as a percentage of the number of children and/or young people at stage of education $n$, in year $t$, in any proficiency level in subject $s$.

$$MP{L}_{t,n,s}=M{P}_{t,n,s}/P_{t,n}$$

where:

$MP{L}_{t,n,s}$ = the number of children and young people at stage of education $n$, in year $t$, who have achieved at least the minimum proficiency level in subject $s$.

$P_{t,n}$ = the number of children and young people at stage of education $n$, in year $t$, in any proficiency level in subject $s$.

$n$ = the stage of education that was assessed

$s$ = the subject that was assessed (reading or mathematics).

DisaggregationPermalink

Indicator 4.1.1.a must be disaggregated by domain (reading and mathematics) and sex.

Treatment of missing valuesPermalink

• At the country level: Missing values are not imputed.
• At the regional and global levels: Missing values are not imputed.

Regional aggregatesPermalink

Not yet applicable. Data are reported at the national level only.

Sources of discrepanciesPermalink

Not yet applicable. Data are reported at the national level only.

Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national levelPermalink

• Information not available.

Quality assurancePermalink

• Information not available.

Data sourcesPermalink

DescriptionPermalink

Type of data sources: In school and population-based learning assessments.

Table 2. How interim reporting is structured?Permalink

Notes: TIMSS/PIRLS Grade 4: these results are allocated to the end of primary when, according to the ISCED levels in a given country, there are 4 grades in primary. When primary has more than 4 grades, they are allocated to grade 2/3. (Source: UIS)

Collection processPermalink

Information not available.

Data availabilityPermalink

DescriptionPermalink

Figure 1. Availability of data for indicator 4.1.1 (a), by gradePermalink

Key:

• Orange = grade 2,3, and 4
• Red = grade 2/3
• Blue = grade 4

Figure 2. Population coverage in countries where data for the indicator are availablePermalink

Key: Population 0 – 127M

Note: In terms of population, countries for which results for the SDG 4.1.1 (a) are available for grades 2, 3, or 4 represent the 76% of the school age population at primary education. If only learning assessments for grades 2 and 3 are considered, that coverage is 39%.

Time seriesPermalink

Data available since 2000. The indicator will be reported annually.

CalendarPermalink

Data collectionPermalink

Data collection is ongoing.

Data releasePermalink

September 2018; February 2019

Data providersPermalink

School BasedPermalink

• International Large Scale Assessments are reported to the UIS by cross-national organisations (LLECE, PASEC, TIMSS, and PIRLS). Typically, Cross National Large Scale Assessment, either regional or international, define various performance levels, and report as well the mean and standard deviation. They choose as well one level as the cut-off point that defines what children/youth are below or above level.
• National Large-Scale Assessments either sample- or census- based. Countries should report the proportion of students by level of competency for each domain indicating as well the minimum proficiency level, when it is defined by the national assessment. EGRA and EGMA as reported by USAID or individual countries.

Household Survey- BasedPermalink

• MICS6: reported to the UIS by UNICEF
• Pal network: reported to the UIS by Pal network

Data compilersPermalink

UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS)

ReferencesPermalink

UIS (2018). Quick Guide to Education Indicators for SDG 4. http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/quick-guide-education-indicators-sdg4-2018-en.pdf

UIS (2017). Proposal of a Protocol for reporting Indicator 4.1.1. http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/gaml4-sdg4-reporting-proposal-protocol-reporting-indicator4.1.1.pdf

UIS (2018). Request for reclassification of SDG indicator 4.1.1.a.

Related indicatorsPermalink

The parity indices for this indicator are reported in SDG indicator 4.5.1.