Debating International Learner Assessments as a Proxy Measure of Quality of Education in the Context of EFA-A Review Essay

Abstract

This review essay looks at three publications that discuss the contentious issue of evaluating education quality (Note 1) by learner outcomes as a proxy indicator (Note 2). The essay explores the debates, gaps and proposes recommendations in the context of Education For All (EFA) (Note 3). The three articles reviewed are Harvey Goldstein’s (2004) “Education For All: the globalization of learning targets”, Angeline Barret’s (2009), “The education Millennium Development Goal beyond 2015: Prospects for quality and learners” and Daniel Wagner’s. et.al. (2012) article on “the debate on learning assessments in developing countries”. Goldstein and Barret’s articles argue against the adherence to numerical learner achievement targets and explore possible consequences of doing so, while Wagner et.al. (2012) articles argue in support of same.