Monitoring Progress towards SDG 4.1 : Comparative Analysis of Curriculum and Assessment National Frameworks for Mathematics

Abstract

This report guides the reader through a comparative analysis of 20 countries’ national curriculum frameworks (NCFs) and national assessment frameworks (NAFs), to examine the alignment between what countries intend to teach and what they assess. The report details the study’s findings with an in-depth analysis of the symmetry between intentional learning outcomes and assessed learning outcomes. Disconcerting issues are identified – yet not resolved- in instances of asymmetry that shed light on areas of alignment for countries’ considerations. The findings emphasise the ambiguity of global understanding around Math Proficiency and its integration, or lack thereof, in national frameworks. The report continues with a discussion on competency-based education (CBE) approaches and lastly, calls for stronger alignment of curriculum and assessment outcomes; and further research into competency-based assessment tools as they pertain to the monitoring progress towards SDG 4.1 - Education 2030.