SEC Test Results to be Released Shortly

The SEC's Evaluation Institute is set to release national level results of the Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment (QCEA) by the end of December 2005 and will issue school report cards in February 2006. More than 80,000 students from Independent, Ministry of Education and private Arabic schools took part in the assessments administered in spring 2005.

Qatar's daily Al-Sharq interviewed Adel Al Sayed, the Evaluation Institute's Director, to explain the impact of the upcoming evaluation reports on Qatar schools performance and what the general public should expect from these comprehensive reports..

Q. At the outset, can you brief us on the role of Evaluation Institute?

A. First, let me talk briefly about Qatar's education reform. In 2001, the State of Qatar launched a comprehensive education reform initiative with the aim to build a world-class education system based on international standards and enable our graduates to join competitive universities at home and abroad, as well as to meet the local labor market requirements. We sought sustainable, Qatari-driven change that models and instills the highest civic ideals of cooperation, reciprocal respect, and popular participation. The initiative is based on four principals: Autonomy: Allowing schools and teachers to be innovative in their approach to meeting the needs of individual students and parents, within a framework of international curriculum standards. Accountability: Implementing an objective and transparent assessment system to hold all school leaders, teachers and parents responsible for the success of students. Variety: Encouraging different kinds of schools and instructional programs. Choice: Allowing parents to select the school that best fits their children's needs.

The main aim of announcing the QCEA results is to improve students’ education, the schools output, and to provide information to the school, parents and teachers for accountability reasons.

There are other elements in this initiative that I would like to highlight: Participation: there are more parties involved in the decision making process now. As you know, Education is the responsibility of all, and we have various stakeholders involved in education process starting with the Board of Trustees in the Independent Schools to the different stakeholders that we survey annually - teachers, students and parents who are our key partners in this process. Transparency: the Evaluation Institute collects information, conducts test and surveys. All of this information is processed and then released to the decision-makers, students, teachers, and parents who will be informed about the performance of the teachers and schools Decision-making: parents are responsible for selecting the education suitable for their children. The information will help parents to discuss with the school the teaching methods and make informed decisions. Educational Culture: Previously educational terms where limited to educators only but nowadays we noticed terms such standardized tests, student performance are widely used and understood by parents.

The reform calls for creating a knowledge-based society and demands continuous learning, so the whole society must be actively involved and responsive.

Q. What role does the Evaluation Institute play within the Education Reform?

A. The Evaluation Institute is responsible for collecting information, conducting tests and questionnaires, and then releasing the results to the stakeholders - students, teachers, decision makers and parents. This information will allow stakeholders to review schools performance as well as the whole educational system. Parents will be equipped with sufficient information to select the best schools for their children and assess the effectiveness of the teaching methods.

The school is responsible for educating the students, thus allocated with various resources and support. The Evaluation Institute is responsible for providing information on the education system to decision makers and the general public. This is the essence of educational accountability – the Education and Evaluation Institutes are responsible for certain roles but parents have to be equally involved and responsible of their children's education.

We at the Evaluation Institute are responsible for measuring students’ performance by annually conducting Qatar Comprehensive Education Assessment (QCEA). We are also responsible for evaluating schools performance academically as well as taking into consideration the students’ wellbeing by ensuring that civic and cultural ideals are also instilled in our children.

Q. What can you tell us about QCEA 2004 results?

A. The test conducted in 2004 was a ‘baseline test’ aimed at evaluating the situation before launching the initiative and the Independent Schools. The results announced then, showed that girls outperformed boys in most grades, and non-Qataris were doing better than Qatari students.

Q. What are the key indicators or results of the new evaluation?

A. The results of Ministry of Education (MOE), Independent Schools, and private Arab schools will be announced before the end of December 2005. Initially, the results will be at the national level and will include gender, and nationality. The results are of two kinds – scale scores which a number is representing the student’s performance compared with the whole performance, but taking into consideration a number of factors for all students. Secondly, performance level results because the tests are standards-based. This will help determine whether the student’s performance meets, approaches or is below standard. .

Q. Were you able to meet the objectives of the assessments?

A. QCEA are designed to be in alignment with the SEC curriculum standards and each year, we anticipate the tests to become more complex

Q. What is the aim of announcing the QCEA results?

A. The main aim is to improve students’ education, the schools output, and to provide information to the school, parents and teachers for accountability reasons.

Q. How do you evaluate schools performance?

A. A School Report Card (SRC) will be issued along with the results at the end of January 2006. This 8-page report contains important information related to the school performance. It describes the school to the parent and will be issued annually to every parent with a child in the school. Our focus is on students’ ambitions and parent’s satisfaction.

Q. But won’t these reports create competition among schools?

A. Competition is required if it is going to improve school performance. What we are afraid of at this stage is ranking and labeling schools I would like to assure you that the information included in the school report cards only compares the schools and does not rate them.

Q. What is the objective of these cards?

A. Improving schools’ performance is our main objective. Once the parents see the cards, they can have an overview of the school’s characteristics. This will help them discuss the school and their children’s learning with the principal and teachers. With time, the SRC will be a tool to help parents make decisions and have a choice to select the school that is best suited for their children’s educational needs. All the schools will receive a report card of their own school, as well as those of the other schools, which parents will have access to.

Q. What reaction do you anticipate from the release of the Report Cards?

A. Being the first time that these cards are issued in Qatar and in the region, we can only guess. We hope to create a dialogue and series of discussions among parents and educators, which we consider to be a positive reaction, and encourage.

Q. What role does the Evaluation Institute play with regard to the SRC’s?

A. We are responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of the data. The stakeholders will discuss the results.

Q. How did parents react to the survey?

A. Parents were very supportive and cooperative in our effort. We had an 88% participation in 2004, and this year it was above 80%.

Q. How accurate is the data that was collected?

A. Data goes through many phases prior to being issued, and I am totally confident that the system and tools used are correct. Our main concern is the accuracy.

Q. The tests were developed by international companies, correct?

A. That is correct; the design for instance is handled by internationally recognized organizations with ample experience and expertise in their fields. It is not easy on the outset to have this expertise locally or even regionally. ETS, one of the organizations that assist us, conducts TOEFL tests all over the world. However, we have a local team working closely with these test developers in our effort to build a local capacity. Also the tests are reviewed by a local Qatari team.

Q. How many students participated in the QCEA?

A. Over 80,000 students were tested from the different schools.

Q. Will the Doha-based international schools be included in the QCEA?

A. Well, they have their own curriculum, but we are in the process of designing evaluation system according to their standards, and I hope this will be completed by next year.

Q. Is there a variation between the QCEA results in 2004 and 2005?

A. Yes, there is, but we have to be careful in making comparisons as many changes occurred.

Q. How was the performance of the Independent Schools?

A. We did not make comparisons, but there is a positive change brought about by the Independent Schools and this is visible in the classrooms.

Q. In this case, the SRCs will make some schools in more demand than others?

A. This is exactly what we would like to see happen. We want to form this kind of pressure on schools because what is offered to schools is the same. Schools have not been exposed to any kind of pressure to improve their performance until now, and the report cards will help achieve this target. The same applies to Arabic private schools; as the card will give the parent the knowledge to know exactly what is happening within the school.