At a regional meeting, representatives from 19 countries have pledged their commitment to advancing the promotion of assessment and evidence for educational quality.

The "Regional Meeting on Assessment in Latin America: Evidence for the Recovery and Transformation Agenda" occurred in San Andrés, Colombia, from April 3rd to April 5th, 2024. Organized by the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES), with support from the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Santiago and its Latin American Laboratory for the Evaluation of Educational Quality (LLECE), the event culminated in the signing of the Colombia Declaration. This declaration signifies the commitment of the signatories to advancing the evaluation of educational quality in the region.

Representatives from nineteen member countries of the LLECE Laboratory, along with delegates from prominent organizations such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), as well as representatives from various evaluation agencies across Latin America and the Caribbean, actively participated in the meeting. The focus was on sharing experiences and best practices in evaluation to enhance collaborative efforts, with an emphasis on generating evidence for informed decision-making in the context of educational recovery and transformation.

Throughout the three-day event, discussions revolved around various thematic axes aimed at promoting improvements in the evaluation of educational quality in the region. Initially, attention was directed towards evaluation as a dynamic tool for identifying areas of learning affected by the pandemic. Subsequently, the SER evaluation framework, developed by the Secretary of Education of the District (Bogotá), was deliberated upon, highlighting its comprehensive approach to assessing not only academic knowledge but also holistic student development.

On the final day of the meeting, experts explored innovations in the evaluation of educational quality, recognizing the need for methodologies to evolve in response to the current needs and contexts of the countries.

Carlos Henríquez, the general coordinator of UNESCO's LLECE Laboratory, underscored the meeting's significance in strengthening ties and synergies among participating countries, promoting the sharing of good practices and educational innovations. He emphasized the transition from commitment to action, aligning with agreements reached at the ministerial meeting held in January.

Elizabeth Blandón, the general director of ICFES, highlighted the transformative potential of evaluation as a powerful tool for driving change in educational systems, laying the foundation for a promising future in Latin America.

Building upon the momentum of previous evaluation agendas, the meeting aimed to contribute to the advancement of the regional framework for educational recovery and transformation established at the Extraordinary Meeting of Ministers of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean in January. It sought to foster a collective and collaborative approach to evaluation, enriching processes to continue contributing to recovery, reactivation, and educational transformation.

At the conclusion of the regional event, the nineteen attending countries signed the Colombia Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to continued collaboration and purpose-driven action in the following areas:

The Colombia Declaration underscored the following key areas of commitment among the participating countries:

• 1. Recognition of UNESCO's LLECE Laboratory as a pivotal coordinating body in driving the regional evaluation agenda. Emphasis was placed on fostering synergy among countries and providing support in the development of educational policies, all within a framework of collaboration and shared commitment.
• 2. Acknowledgment of the crucial role of evaluation in advancing frameworks for recovery, reactivation, and educational transformation. Evaluation was identified as a central tool for enhancing educational systems with equity, ensuring that all students have access to quality education.
• 3. Establishment of working commissions dedicated to early childhood, migration, and special educational needs. These commissions aim to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices in educational evaluation, with a focus on providing tailored support to students in diverse contexts, while recognizing and celebrating their individual strengths and challenges.
• 4. Reaffirmation of the countries' unwavering commitment to UNESCO's LLECE Laboratory, particularly on the occasion of its 30th anniversary. The declaration emphasized the importance of continuing to enhance the regional agenda, leveraging evaluation based on evidence and fostering a common vision among the countries to drive meaningful action and positive change in education.

Source: Unesco‍