Monitoring Study of the Quality of Primary Education
In 2016, Ukraine started preparations for the first cycle of the Nationwide External Monitoring of the Quality of Primary Education. Three monitoring cycles have already been conducted: 2018, 2021, and 2024.
The New Ukrainian School is a key reform of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The main purpose of this reform is making school a place where studen studies and not only get equipped with knowledge but also with learning power and character necessary for success in real life. To succeed in primary school reformation, it is necessary to analyze high quality data on students’ learning outcomes. Taking that into account, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine introduced the Nationwide external monitoring of the quality of primary education.
This external research was prepared by several institutions, namely the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, the Institute of Educational Analytics, and the Charitable Foundation ‘Institute for Education Development’. Additionally, several international experts and dozens of Ukrainian specialists, i.e. scientists, methodologists, teachers from several leading institutions of general secondary education and higher education, joined the project.
In 2016 and 2017, the working group prepared basic documents for the study – the concept, the study programme, the test specifications. Researchers also developed test-booklets in reading and mathematics, student and teacher questionnaires. All the materials were piloted via a series of surveys.
During the first monitoring cycle in 2018, around 10,000 fourth-grade students participated in the study. This research enabled the evaluation of reading and math competencies developed by primary school graduates who were educated under the 2011 State Standard of Primary Education. Additionally, it provided an opportunity to analyze how socio-economic, psychological, and other factors influenced their academic performance.
The second monitoring cycle in 2021 involved approximately 8,000 fourth-grade students. The results of this cycle allowed for a comparison of students’ achievements in mathematics and reading with the results from 2018. This comparison took into account the effects of quarantine restrictions and the shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, the third monitoring cycle surveyed nearly 11,000 fourth-grade students. A significant innovation in this cycle was the inclusion of all three core educational areas: reading, mathematics, and science, based on the integrated course titled "I Explore the World."
The data collected allowed for tracking changes in students' performance in mathematics and reading, comparing the results to those from 2018 and 2021. This comparison reflects the impact of learning during the challenging circumstances of the full-scale military invasion. Additionally, for the first time, the assessment of science competency was conducted, establishing a baseline for future comparative analysis in upcoming monitoring cycles.
The next monitoring cycles are planned for 2027 and 2030.
The New Ukrainian School is a key reform of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The main purpose of this reform is making school a place where studen studies and not only get equipped with knowledge but also with learning power and character necessary for success in real life. To succeed in primary school reformation, it is necessary to analyze high quality data on students’ learning outcomes. Taking that into account, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine introduced the Nationwide external monitoring of the quality of primary education.
This external research was prepared by several institutions, namely the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, the Institute of Educational Analytics, and the Charitable Foundation ‘Institute for Education Development’. Additionally, several international experts and dozens of Ukrainian specialists, i.e. scientists, methodologists, teachers from several leading institutions of general secondary education and higher education, joined the project.
In 2016 and 2017, the working group prepared basic documents for the study – the concept, the study programme, the test specifications. Researchers also developed test-booklets in reading and mathematics, student and teacher questionnaires. All the materials were piloted via a series of surveys.
During the first monitoring cycle in 2018, around 10,000 fourth-grade students participated in the study. This research enabled the evaluation of reading and math competencies developed by primary school graduates who were educated under the 2011 State Standard of Primary Education. Additionally, it provided an opportunity to analyze how socio-economic, psychological, and other factors influenced their academic performance.
The second monitoring cycle in 2021 involved approximately 8,000 fourth-grade students. The results of this cycle allowed for a comparison of students’ achievements in mathematics and reading with the results from 2018. This comparison took into account the effects of quarantine restrictions and the shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, the third monitoring cycle surveyed nearly 11,000 fourth-grade students. A significant innovation in this cycle was the inclusion of all three core educational areas: reading, mathematics, and science, based on the integrated course titled "I Explore the World."
The data collected allowed for tracking changes in students' performance in mathematics and reading, comparing the results to those from 2018 and 2021. This comparison reflects the impact of learning during the challenging circumstances of the full-scale military invasion. Additionally, for the first time, the assessment of science competency was conducted, establishing a baseline for future comparative analysis in upcoming monitoring cycles.
The next monitoring cycles are planned for 2027 and 2030.
In 2016, Ukraine started preparations for the first cycle of the Nationwide External Monitoring of the Quality of Primary Education. Three monitoring cycles have already been conducted: 2018, 2021, and 2024.