From Data Gaps to Evidence for Action
Evidence matters. From experimentation that drives advances in science to the use of big data to inform business decisions, society relies on evidence to understand what works, identify what needs to change, and guide action.
Education is no exception. Reliable data are essential for understanding whether learning is improving, who is being left behind, and where resources and reforms are most needed. Yet, in many parts of the world where these insights are needed most, significant gaps remain in the evidence needed to understand learning outcomes and educational equity.
This challenge was a prominent topic at the recent Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX2026) in Lilongwe, Malawi, where representatives of 42 African governments and partners came together around a shared ambition to improve foundational learning across Africa.
The resulting Lilongwe Declaration identified data, assessment and accountability as one of six shared priority areas and called for countries to:
‘Strengthen the flow and use of quality data from schools to the national level, and build credible measurement and accountability systems’
The release of UNESCO’s 2026 SDG 4 Scorecard just days prior to FLEX2026 put a spotlight on how significant the need for action in this area is. It highlighted the extent of the data gap problem and noted that the issue is most pronounced in low and lower-middle income countries.
‘Around 45% of countries have no data at all on minimum reading proficiency at the end of primary education, while a further 23% lack sufficient data to establish trends. As a result, fewer than one third of countries have enough information to assess whether progress is on track’
- From SDG 4 Scorecard: Progress Report on National Benchmarks
The FLEX 2026 Joint Declaration and the 2026 SDG 4 Scorecard both emphasized the same fundamental challenge: achieving better learning outcomes requires better evidence. A belief in this idea has fueled IEA’s work since the first pioneering large-scale assessment studies were implemented over 60 years ago.
Where IEA Can Contribute
International assessments can complement national and regional assessment systems by providing an internationally comparable perspective on student learning. IEA’s TIMSS and PIRLS have done this for decades and also contribute data for monitoring progress towards SDG Indicator 4.1.1b—the proportion of children at the end of primary education who achieve at least a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics.
IEA’s LaNA (Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) extends this opportunity to countries where TIMSS and PIRLS may not be currently feasible. LaNA has a simpler assessment design, is implemented on a shorter timeline, and is a paper-and-pencil assessment. LaNA also explicitly aims to strengthen countries’ technical and institutional capacity for large-scale assessment. Linked to TIMSS and PIRLS, LaNA is reported on the TIMSS mathematics and PIRLS reading scales and is also used by countries to report on SDG Indicator 4.1.1b.
Building Evidence Together with LaNA 2027
IEA is planning an administration of LaNA in 2027, with the goal of establishing a cohort of countries implementing the assessment on the same timeline, maximizing opportunities for collaboration and shared learning. Enrollment is now open.
LaNA 2027 will offer participants the opportunity to:
- Collaborate and learn with other countries: Implementing LaNA alongside other countries fosters cross-country collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual learning.
- Support SDG reporting: LaNA data on student learning outcomes can be utilized to support reporting on SDG Indicator 4.1.1b before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals reporting period concludes.
- Benefit from enhanced context questionnaires: LaNA 2027 includes updated school and student questionnaires and a new teacher questionnaire designed to capture the realities of low-resource contexts.
- Complement and prepare for TIMSS/PIRLS 2031: LaNA 2027 provides data that complements TIMSS and PIRLS and can help strengthen national readiness for TIMSS and/or PIRLS 2031.
- Join for a reduced international fee: The standard participation fee will be reduced for LaNA 2027.
We welcome expressions of interest in joining this cohort. Together, we can work to close the education data gap and collect the evidence needed for meaningful change.
Dr. Dana Kelly, LaNA Study Director
Contact: dana.kelly@iea-hamburg.de