GEMS Education will play key role in global initiative to improve student performance in low- and middle-income countries
Project will spark conversation about global academic programs and need for increased classroom evaluation
Eight pilot countries will participate
In an effort to improve access, drive growth and implement successful measurement in education systems globally, GEMS Education is partnering with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support the launch of a new approach to improving education assessment and strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
The new assessment tool, PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) for Development, or PISA-D, was developed by the OECD and its partners to enable greater PISA participation by low-income and middle-income countries in support of the United Nation’s Education 2030 Project. PISA is an international survey occurring every three years, which evaluates education systems worldwide by testing 15-year-old students in science, reading and mathematics. The project is currently being piloted in eight countries, including Cambodia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Senegal and Zambia.
GEMS Education will serve as an expert advisor to OECD as part of The Education 2030 Project, which is a multi-year collaboration of the world’s leading countries to advance the development of modern education systems. PISA-D plays a key role in achieving the project’s education goals to instill in students the values and skills necessary to be successful in the world by 2030. GEMS Education will also donate Windows 1:1 devices to six of the pilot countries to enable researchers to test students’ skills at home using a Windows-based application.
“At GEMS, global citizenship is an integral component of our educational program and a necessary first step toward preparing students to transform our world,” said Sunny Varkey, Founder and Group Chairman, GEMS Education. “We’re proud to partner with the OECD in their mission to improve education system performance and establish better education policies, as it furthers our goal to enhance learning outcomes for children worldwide.”
Measured over 48 months, results from PISA-D will contribute to the OECD’s support of education-related goals that focus on access and equity in the classroom by engaging more countries globally about adequate learning opportunities. The most recently published results are from the 2012 PISA assessment, and December 6, 2016, the results from PISA’s 2015 round of testing in 72 countries and economies will be released. For the 2018 assessment, the first round of pilot testing will take place from the end of this year through March 2017.
In addition to GEMS Education, supporting partners for the PISA-D project include the participating countries and international contractors, a number of development agencies, including Positivo BGH, as well as support from the World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF.
“We are facing a global challenge to define education indicators for all school levels, and with the PISA-D project, our learning communities will experience improved access, equity and quality of education for all eligible students,” said Denise Gallucci, Chief Executive Officer, GEMS Education – Americas. “We are thrilled to be a part of the OECD’s mission to raise education standards and enhance the overall learning experience across the globe, and we look forward to sharing results of the assessment.”
GEMS Education’s partnership with the OECD further supports the school’s overall mission to connect classrooms across the globe through daily integration with classrooms and interaction with peers, so that students can build genuine relationships and understand different cultural perspectives as they learn and prepare for life. GEMS Education, with schools across 19 countries including the United States, Dubai, Singapore and Switzerland, is a world leader in cutting-edge education and empowers students through rich learning experiences and the purposeful use of technology to prepare them to be successful life-long learners in an ever-changing global society.
– GEMS Education Media
