Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels (AMPL)

• 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 Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels (AMPL), which is closely aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, particularly Indicator 4.1.1. This indicator aims to measure the “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.” In essence, it tracks the proportion of students reaching minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics at different school stages. AMPL delivers reliable assessment tools that allow participating countries to collect internationally comparable data, essential for monitoring progress toward SDG targets.
Overview of the Assessment
AMPL targets proficiency in reading and mathematics at crucial educational milestones, that is at the end of lower primary and primary school. The assessment establishes standard Minimum Proficiency Levels (MPLs), enabling direct international comparisons while also allowing for local contextual adaptation. The assessments not only deliver achievement data but also gather contextual information from students and school leaders, such as family background, home language, parental education, household wealth, and nutrition. The contextual information enables the analysis of important associations with learning.
Evidence from Implementation
Analysis of AMPL data has shown clear links between students’ learning outcomes and their socio-economic context. Students experiencing greater family and school support, higher family income, and better general health and nutrition tend to achieve higher proficiency. School-level factors, such as rural versus urban location and language support, also signifICANtly affect outcomes.
The rich contextual information collected as part of AMPL provides policymakers with actionable insights, allowing for targeted interventions and more efficient allocation of resources. Benchmarking proficiency and understanding the factors influencing learning help countries craft policies that advance the goals of SDG 4.
Examples from Country Administrations
In 2023, four countries participated in the AMPL-ab study: The Gambia (Grade 3), Kenya (Grade 6), Lesotho (Grade 7), and Zambia (Grades 4 and 7). The analysis of their data illustrates how international benchmarks can be applied to national contexts, aiding decision-makers in identifying gaps and strengths in foundational learning and refining their education strategies accordingly.
Future Plans
The AMPL initiative is ongoing, with the implementation of AMPL 2024-25 currently in progress. Instruments have been translated into national languages of the participating countries and are undergoing piloting. This will further improve the validity and comparability of the data, ensuring even more countries can benefit from high-quality foundational learning assessments in the future.
In summary, the AMPL program equips countries with the assessments and contextual data necessary to measure, compare, and improve foundational learning. By supporting data-driven policymaking, it advances countries’ progress towards SDG 4 and fosters educational equity at scale.

Authors

• Naoko Tabata, Australian Council for Educational Research

• Ursula Schwantner, Australian Council for Educational Research, Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Centre