Bridging the Data Gap: The PAL Network's ICAN-ICAR Assessments for Foundational Learning in the Global South

• In Event: Data for foundational learning: What do recent data efforts tell us? Results from AMPL, ICAN-ICAR, PASEC and UNICEF’s FLM2.0

Proposal

This presentation introduces the International Common Assessments of Numeracy (ICAN) and Reading (ICAR) as a scalable, cost-effective, and robust solution for measuring foundational learning, directly contributing to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.1.1(a) in the Global South.
Developed by the People's Action for Learning (PAL) Network, a partnership of citizen-led assessment (CLA) initiatives across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the ICAN and ICAR assessments are designed to measure foundational skills in children aged 5-16. Both tools are meticulously aligned with the Global Proficiency Framework (GPF) and have been formally "Strongly Aligned" with all four global criteria for reporting under SDG 4.1.1(a), a status confirmed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER-UK). This alignment, validated through extensive field trials and psychometric analysis, ensures their suitability for global-level reporting.
The ICAN-ICAR tools are built on years of research and scaling, with a recent round of field tests conducted in June 2025 across 13 countries in South Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa, Western Africa, and America, assessing over 7,000 children. This initiative is the first of two planned assessment rounds by 2030, with the goal of consistently tracking SDG 4.1.1(a) progress and informing policy.
A core strength of the PAL Network's approach is its citizen-led model, where one-on-one assessments are conducted in households by trained community volunteers. This inclusive, community-engaged methodology ensures that both in-school and out-of-school children are reached, fostering local ownership of data and strengthening advocacy.
This presentation will share the initial global findings from this pioneering initiative, highlighting its design, methodology, and progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will also serve as a call to action, inviting collaboration and support to enhance the project's impact on equity, inclusion, and the long-term sustainability of foundational learning in the Global South.

Authors

• Armando A Ali, PAL Network

• Muhammad Usman, PAL Network