Building Foundations: Challenges and Strides in The Gambia’s Education Data Landscape 

By Alpha Bah 

The Gambia, like many developing countries, faces challenges in collecting comparable data for foundational literacy and numeracy skills as required by SDG 4.1.1a. SDG 4.1.1a is part of a global indicator framework which was designed to hold countries accountable on their commitments towards achieving the SDGs. Out of 169 SDG indicators, it is the only indicator that measures foundational learning globally. 

A significant challenge in measuring foundational literacy and numeracy skills lies in the limited understanding of these skills among key stakeholders including government actors, parents and communities. This lack of awareness creates a ripple effect resulting in the following gaps: 

•  De-prioritization of foundational learning. Without a clear understanding of foundational skills and their importance, stakeholders may not prioritize them. This can lead to a lack of focus on early childhood education programs and interventions that build these crucial building blocks. 
• Gaps in advocacy for policy improvement. Limited understanding translates to weak advocacy for policies that support foundational skills development. This can lead to insufficient investment in resources like teacher training, curriculum materials, and standardized assessments. 
• Lowered citizen engagement. Parents and communities play a vital role in supporting children’s learning. When they don’t understand the importance of foundational skills and how they’re measured, their citizen engagement particularly engagement with their children’s education and with the education system as a whole will be low or weak.
• Lowered accountability. Without awareness of the skills being measured and the educational progress of their children, stakeholders are less likely to hold the education system accountable for delivering quality education. 

Implementing large-scale assessments requires significant financial and human resources. The Gambia runs a National Assessment Test (NAT) for grade three, five and eight for all public schools annually. This data has been key in driving critical policy reforms in The Gambia. NAT attendance is linked to determining how school improvement grants will be disbursed. In addition, NAT results help determine what priorities should be set at school level for Nation-wide school improvement plans.  These priorities are also institutionalised in the school management manuals. However, the NAT assessment does not measure competency-based skills and has used different methodologies, making it difficult to compare data over time. Technical expertise to support shifting to a competency-based assessment including support for data collection, analysis, and reporting is limited and while there have been strides in understanding and advocating for these changes, there’s a need for a more robust system.  

The Gambia therefore initiated a collaboration with development partner organizations including UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS), UNICEF, World bank among others to leverage their expertise and resources for conducting assessments aligned with SDG 4.1.1a.  A policy linking was carried out, which is a process that allows a country to link their existing assessments for reporting under global learning outcomes indicators such as SDG 4.1.1a. Following this, a pilot of AMPL-a was carried out with support from UNESCO Institute of Statistics AMPL-a is an assessment designed to measure the proportion of students meeting the Minimum Proficiency Level (MPL) in reading and mathematics in the early grades. These strides showcase the country’s commitment towards measurement of foundational learning and improving learning outcomes of children in The Gambia. 

By raising awareness and fostering understanding among stakeholders including development partners, policy makers, parents and communities, we can build a more engaged and supportive environment for measuring and improving foundational literacy and numeracy skills. This will create a coalition of partners advocating for increased investment at all levels – government budgets, local resources for measurement tools, and support for large-scale, standardized national assessments aligned with international standards. This comprehensive approach, encompassing policy development, classroom-based continuous assessments, community involvement, and national evaluations, will ultimately lead to better educational outcomes for all Gambian children. 

About Alpha Bah

Alpha Bah is a Gambian education policy advisor with over 28 years of experience. He is currently the Director of Standard Quality Assurance, Education Management Information System (EMIS) and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in The Gambia. 

Alpha has a strong track record of developing and implementing education policies and programs. He has played a leading role in the development of education sector analysis and education medium-term plans. He has also successfully utilized the Education Management Information System (EMIS) as evidence to inform policy and support decision-making. 

Alpha is a strong advocate for the use of data to improve education outcomes. He has played a pivotal role in elevating The Gambia’s EMIS from a historically weak area to one of strength, not only nationally, but also within the region and beyond. He is a member of UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Technical Cooperation Group (TCG) and the ECOWAS EMIS expert. 

Alpha is a highly skilled and experienced professional with a deep understanding of the education sector. He is passionate about education and is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and young people. 

Conclusion 

Alpha Bah is a visionary leader who is committed to improving education for all children in The Gambia. He is a role model for young people and an inspiration to his colleagues. Alpha’s work is making a real difference in the lives of children and young people in The Gambia and beyond.