IEA Executive Director, Dirk Hastedt, presented on PIRLS 2021 Asia-Pacific Regional Highlights in a UNESCO webinar.
IEA’s PIRLS is the global standard for monitoring reading achievement at the fourth grade. PIRLS is the first published international assessment that successfully collected data during the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing 400,000 students in 57 countries.
PIRLS 2021 was the fifth assessment cycle marking 20 years of trends and the transition to digital assessment. Approximately half the countries evaluated students using a state-of-the-art digital assessment with engaging and interactive reading assessment materials, including simulated online projects with multiple websites, videos, and navigational features like links and pop-ups. PIRLS 2021 collected a considerable amount of information from school principals, parents, and teachers as well.
The five PIRLS trend assessments conducted to date resulted from close collaboration among the participating countries, involving thousands of collaborators internationally. IEA and Boston College remain committed to supporting countries in improving their education systems and ensuring all students have access to high-quality education. The report, PIRLS 2021 International Results, provides important insights into the current state of literacy education. It also serves as a fundamental resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers worldwide to monitor educational recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six members of NEQMAP participated in PIRLS 2021. Their results were emphasized today amongst the selection of international results.
Virtual