UNESCO launches Mini-LAMP, to help developing countries assess reading, numeracy skills




The United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has launched a new programme that will help developing countries to monitor SDG Target 4.6: “ensure that all youth and a substantial portion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.”
Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), says “With Mini-LAMP, countries will have a streamlined version of the complete set of tools that have already been field tested in 10 countries and translated into a range of languages spoken in different regions. They would also have more options and flexibility in implementing the assessment in order to meet their specific needs. For example, they could use shorter modules to assess literacy and numeracy skills. This would enable countries to reduce testing time while continuing to evaluate both domains.
“Mini-LAMP would also be computer-based. So countries will have a fully-adaptive assessment based on the skills of the individual test taker, which not only ensures that results are available more quickly but also shifts expenditures from collection to analysis.
“Finally, countries could directly administer mini-LAMP with the support of a regional body. Mini-LAMP will include a comprehensive implementation package and quality assurance guidelines so that countries can take a decentralized approach to administering the assessment rather than relying on an international organization.
In short, they will have the flexibility to meet their specific needs and contexts with the assurance and support needed to produce quality data for monitoring and policy making.”


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