System evaluation should include a varied set of components, such as broad measures of student outcomes; system-level indicators with basic demographic, administrative and contextual information; information systems; and research and analysis to inform planning, intervention, and policy development. Progress should be assessed against clear national objectives and priorities, and clearly communicated on.
Education system evaluation
System evaluation provides accountability to the public about the performance of an education system at the national and sub-national levels. It also serves to inform policy planning and improve educational processes.
Key messages
System evaluation holds a strong potential to inform policies, yet many countries lack an overall strategic approach to do it. Developing an education indicator framework allows for monitoring of changes over time, including of student performance across specific groups and geographies. To plan and organise the collection of evidence, countries should systematically map out available information against education system objectives and draw up a plan for the further collection of information.
In most countries, while large amounts of data are collected from schools and comparable student results are available, there is room to strengthen the analysis and mobilisation of such information for system monitoring and improvement. Analytical studies, innovative research and thematic national evaluations – undertaken by education authorities or commissioned independently – are an essential part of system evaluation. They can explain student performance, the impact of policies and programmes, and serve to inform the development and implementation of policy and practice.
Context
Different ways to evaluate education systems
Countries use various mechanisms, such as national assessments and examinations, school inspections and school self-evaluation to evaluate their education systems. Some are mostly used for formative purposes (to improve the effectiveness of learning), while others are used for summative purposes (to prove that learning is taking place).
Extent to which evaluation and assessment activities are used for formative and/or summative purposes (2015)
System-level management tools support system evaluation
Most OECD countries have national student information systems, which collect and give access to information about students’ demography, attendance, pathways and increasingly their learning outcomes. Some federal countries have them at the sub-national level, usually with reporting obligations to the central level.
Number and percentage of education systems with a student information system (2023)
