Zambia Joins PISA 2025
….Dr. Chilala says this is a strategic move to benchmark student performance and enhance education quality both local and international level.
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka, Zambia24 – (28-08-2024) – Zambia has officially joined the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025, a move aimed at improving the quality of its education system.
The Minister of Education, Douglas M. Syakalima, announced Zambia’s participation in PISA 2025 through a statement read by Permanent Secretary Joe Kamoko at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka saying this is a major step forward in enhancing the country’s education standards.
Syakalima emphasized that Zambia’s involvement in PISA underscores the government’s commitment to providing high-quality education and preparing students with the skills needed to thrive in a globalized economy.
He called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that every child in Zambia benefits from this commitment to excellence.
“PISA, organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), evaluates the abilities of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science,” Syakalima said.
“By participating in PISA 2025, Zambia aims to measure its students’ performance against international standards and gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of its educational practices.”
Syakalima further highlighted that joining PISA reflects Zambia’s dedication to advancing its education system.
He remarked, “This decision underscores our resolve to transform Zambia’s education sector. PISA will offer us critical data on our students’ abilities and pinpoint areas that require improvement.”
He mentioned that insights from PISA will inform necessary changes in teaching methods, curriculum development, and educational infrastructure.
“Our participation will connect Zambia with global education trends, enabling us to learn from successful education systems and improve our own standards,” Syakalima added.
The minister stressed the importance of collaboration among educators, administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders to achieve the goals of this initiative.
“Collective efforts are key to overcoming obstacles and achieving excellence in education,” he stated.
Syakalima also pointed out that Zambia’s participation in PISA signals its dedication to transparency and accountability.
“By subjecting our education system to international assessment, we demonstrate our willingness to be evaluated and our commitment to continuous improvement,” he noted.
Michael Chilala, Chief Executive Officer of the Examinations Council of Zambia, stressed the significance of assessments like PISA in improving education quality and shaping policy decisions saying such assessments ensure that the education system aligns with set standards and effectively supports student development.
Chilala explained the various assessments used to evaluate Zambia’s education system, including classroom exercises that track understanding of specific topics, summative exams that assess overall skills and competencies, and large-scale evaluations like PISA that gauge the impact of educational policies.
“These assessments provide valuable feedback to the government for making informed policy decisions,” Chilala said.
He underscored that the results from these evaluations can guide improvements at all levels of education.
Chilala assured that Zambia is well-prepared for large-scale assessments, noting the establishment of research units, standardized testing instruments, and systems aligned for effective data collection.
He highlighted the support from the Ministry of Education through programs like the Zambia Education Enhancement Program, which provides necessary funding.
“The purpose of today’s launch is to coordinate efforts across various departments to ensure successful data collection and the effective implementation of the new curriculum,” Chilala stated.
He added that the collaboration with the OECD shows that Zambia has met the necessary standards to advance these initiatives.