Malawi Student Reading Scores from SACMEQ Assessments

Mean reading scores for Malawian students in standards 3, 5, and 7, collected through the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ). The data originates from three major research projects conducted between 1995 and 2011, managed by the Global Partnership for Education. It tracks educational outcomes across multiple grades over a significant period.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in mean_reading_score across standards 3, 5, and 7 to evaluate grade-level progression.
• Compare educational outcomes over time using the SACMEQ I, II, and III project phases as temporal markers.
• Correlate reading performance with subject availability, as testing expanded from English to include Mathematics and HIV/AIDS topics.

Strengths

• Data spans three major assessment projects (SACMEQ I, II, III) over a 16-year period from 1995 to 2011.
• Provides standardized mean scores for three distinct grade levels (standards 3, 5, 7), enabling cross-sectional analysis.

Limitations

• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting statistical power assessment.
• Data is temporally stale, with the latest project completed in 2011.
• Geographic scope is limited to a single country, Malawi.

Provenance

Source

Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ), reported by the Local Education Group (LEG) of Malawi.

Collection Method

Standardized educational assessments administered to learners in participating schools.

Time Range

1995 to 2011 (covering SACMEQ I, II, and III projects).

Geography

Malawi