In the framework of the International Meeting: “Realidades y Proyecciones de los Institutos de Evaluación de América Latina” (“Realities and Projections of Assessment Institutions of Latin America”), organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Paraguay and the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (MEC/OEI), the national report of the Third Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study was presented at the event. The study was coordinated by the Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, OREALC/UNESCO Santiago, and carried out in 15 countries within the region, as well as in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, with Paraguay being one of the countries assessed. TERCE measured the learning achievements of students as well as the factors associated with these results.

The words of welcome to the event, which took place in Asunción, Paraguay, on the 25th and 26th of November, were delivered by the General Director of the OEI, Marien Peggy Martínez, and the first presentation was given by the Minister of Education and Culture (MEC), Marta Lafuente, with the topic “Los Desafíos de la Evaluación Educativa en Paraguay” (“The Challenges of Educational Assessment in Paraguay”).

According to information from the OEI, the Minister of Education gave special thanks for the support of Itaipú and the OEI itself, for its commitment to a project that is so significant for the country. The project not only consisted of paying operational costs, but also the preparation of a program of projection and sustainability based on experience, such as the Master’s degree in Assessment of Educational Quality.

According to the Minister, the commitment is that the systems of quality assessment must return to the classroom, and they must enter into teacher training institutions, universities, and in general in the entire academic environment of the country. “The only destination of this type of study is the classroom, because the purpose of the assessment is to support the process of improvement,” she emphasized.

The culture of assessment is largely unresolved in our country, and “we have to reflect on this because science is an inherent part of the educational process, and the decision making process must have scientific knowledge as a central component, and assessment is a set of sciences and we need to support our decisions on that,” she argued.

She highlighted that for the next steps, it is fundamental to definitively strengthen the policies of assessment, being that “it is a very complex interdisciplinary field that requires the support of the academic sector, but fundamentally, assessment is learned through a working process, experimenting, and constructing work communities,” she noted.<a name="_GoBack"></a>

Adriana Viteri, technical assistant of OREALC/UNESCO Santiago, presented the TERCE study, and indicated that it involves learning achievements, one of the measures of quality of education, “but challenges persist in the form of applying measures to the other dimensions of quality, following the five dimensions of quality defined by UNESCO Santiago (2007).” Similarly, she pointed out that the publication of the TERCE results is a first step, and that now it must move towards carrying out studies that allow for the creation of evidence for informed decision-making in public policies within the field of education.

On the other hand, Viteri presented the goals of the Education Agenda 2030, and made reference to the role of UNESCO, its goals and its strategic areas, as well as the role of the Latin American Laboratory for Assessment of the Quality of Education, LLECE, of OREALC/UNESCO Santiago in this new context.

Results in Paraguay

In relation to the results, the report points out that the performance of students on the TERCE exams in Paraguay is below the regional average of 700 points. The performance was better in private schools than in public schools, and in urban schools more than in rural schools in both grades and in all subject areas assessed by TERCE.

The report includes a set of recommendations based on the results of the research. At the school level, teacher training and further education must be worked on, along with the adjustment of curricula for the development of scientific and research skills, the promotion of reading and bilingualism, access to education services, and comprehensive early childhood care. Reading and equality in access to an inclusive quality education also must be worked on. On the other hand, an improvement in the reading environment at home and the participation of boys and girls in cultural activities must be promoted.

Experts and international specialists from seven countries participated in the seminar (Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, and Paraguay), as well as representatives from universities, teacher organizations, non-governmental organizations, members of the National Council on Education and Culture, CONEC, members of the National Council on Higher Education-CONES, members of the National Council on Science and Technology-CONACYT, specialists from the Ministry of Education and Culture, representatives of the National Agency of Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education-ANEAES.

Source: MEC/OEI