The Network on Education Quality Monitoring in the Asia-Pacific (NEQMAP) was established on 28 March 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. The network aims to improve the quality of learning in the Asia-Pacific by enhancing the use of student learning assessment to strengthen education systems.
The 1st Steering Group Meeting of the Network on Education Quality Monitoring in the Asia-Pacific (NEQMAP) was held on 20 September 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. During the meeting, the NEQMAP Secretariat at UNESCO Bangkok provided the Steering Group members with an update in regard to institutional and membership matters, communications and publicity and resource mobilization efforts. In addition, the network’s engagement with some of the major current international initiatives on student learning assessment was discussed, including the PISA for Development initiative being led by the OECD and the Learning Metrics Task Force, which recently launched a summary report of its global recommendations.
The Steering Group members undertook some key decisions in regard to all of these areas, and also discussed the likely priority activities of NEQMAP over the next several months.
These activities aim to address current needs in regards to education quality monitoring in the region and are as follows:
1. Organization of a regional capacity building workshop on issues and experiences in assessment in the Asia-Pacific region focused on overall assessment literacy
2. Establishment of a knowledge base on student learning assessment in the region
3. Regional mapping study on existing policies and instruments for measuring/monitoring learning outcomes
4. Regional/comparative research study on how the results of learning assessments are used and their impact on policy and practice
5. Regional/comparative research study on assessment of transversal or 21st century skills