Assessment

Effective education reform would not be possible without a rigorous assessment system that provides decision makers with high quality, objective data. In the Qatari educational reform effort, such information is collected and disseminated by the Evaluation Institute through the annual Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment (QCEA) in four subjects – Arabic, English, mathematics, and science. The QCEA is based on the Qatar Curriculum Standards that are comparable with the best and most demanding educational standards worldwide. These standards are designed to give students the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in the global economy.

The QCEA, however, is only one part in a comprehensive assessment system. Another role is played by classroom based tests developed by teachers. Last but not least, the final component consists of international assessments that Qatar’s education system to be benchmarked and compared with education systems in countries around the world. The two international assessments administered in Qatar are The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The Evaluation Institute oversees the implementation of all three major international assessments in Qatar.