African education leaders, including assessment and foundational learning experts have called for the integration of one-on-one (1:1) assessment into national learning assessment frameworks to drive real change in early grade reading and math. At a webinar on African Leadership for 1:1 assessment organized by ADEA on Thursday 29th May, participants – mostly foundational learning policymakers from across Africa – urged for stronger local capacity and meaningful data use in learning assessments.

In many African contexts, traditional classroom or standardized assessments often miss the mark for early grade learners acquiring foundational skills. One-on-one assessments are a more effective alternative. They are verbally administered to each pupil and tailored to a child’s developmental stage, thus providing clearer insights into early reading and numeracy skills. These assessments are especially valuable for the early identification of struggling learners, whether in school or at home, and enable targeted instructional and policy responses, including for out-of-school children.

In his remarks to open the webinar, ADEA Executive Secretary Albert Nsengiyumva emphasized the critical need for Africa to take full ownership of foundational learning assessments. 

“Unless we address the lack of literacy and numeracy skills with seriousness and urgency, we will fail an entire generation – and with it, Africa’s future”. 

He underlined ADEA’s commitment to data-driven education systems and highlighted the efforts being made through ADEA’s Education and Skills Data Challenge (ESDC) project in this regard. Albert stressed that 

“no country can solve what it cannot measure, which is why it is essential to integrate tools like EGRA and EGMA into national assessment systems.” 

He pushed for countries to preserve and expand these tools, manage them locally, and use them meaningfully to drive reform.

The webinar showcased expert insights and national experiences. For instance, Dr. Moses Ngware from the Africa Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) provided an overview of one-on-one assessments, highlighting challenges such as sparse data collection in sub-Saharan Africa and the inverted triangle of data use, where data is generated from the bottom but utilized at the top. He encouraged local-level use of data collected through assessments to positively impact learning outcomes.

The session featured case studies from Madagascar, South Africa, and the Republic of Benin. Andry Nirisoa Rabenasolo from the Ministry of Education, Madagascar shared how the country uses assessment data for decision-making and emphasized the need to strengthen capacities at both the ministry and local levels. In her session Nompumelelo Mohohlwane from the Department of Basic Education in South Africa explained the development of reading benchmarks in 11 official languages and highlighted the collaboration and local capacity building.

Equally, Pierre Chanou from the Ministry of Basic Education and Vocational Training in the Republic of Benin, discussed their structured approach to integrating one-on-one assessments. He shared that the country produces 'plaquettes', which are summary documents containing key evaluation results and recommendations. The results obtained are then multiplied and disseminated through seminars that simplify the information at the departmental and school district levels so that school leaders can understand and use these key results. However, he mentioned grappling with a lack of continuous national assessment capacity due to reliance on ad-hoc teams.

The session concluded with a dynamic and engaging question-and-answer segment, covering topics such as benchmarking for multiple languages, the need to broaden assessment scopes, and aligning pedagogical practices with data. Participants discussed challenges like teacher mobility and emphasized that teacher quality, instructional time, and resources are crucial for transforming assessment data into classroom impact.

The webinar equally acknowledged a growing demand for continued dialogue and collaboration on foundational learning among policymakers across Africa and emphasized the urgency of advancing this agenda, not by disrupting existing efforts, but by empowering the dedicated teams working under challenging circumstances to enhance learning outcomes. There was also a strong consensus among stakeholders on the importance of institutionalizing assessment tools such as EGRA and EGMA within national education systems.

ADEA remains steadfast in its commitment to this vision and will take the next strategic step by convening an in-person session aimed at co-creating an African-led, continentally owned foundational learning assessment framework. This marks a pivotal move toward sustainable education reform - anchored in local leadership, strengthened systems, and the collective goal of ensuring that no child is left behind.