Central Data Catalog

The Student Progress Examination (SPE) has been administered annually since 2010 by the Ministry of Education to grade 8 (ISCED 2) students in general education programmes in public and private schools.

The SPE is one of the two components of the Student Progress Assessment (SPA), which replaced the lower secondary examination in 2010. The other component consists of a continuous school-based assessment (SBA) throughout grade 7 and grade 8. This component contributes 30% of the Student Progress Assessment's final score, whereas the Student Progress Examination contributes 70%.

The SPE is a high-stake and mandatory examination. It contributes to certify completion of lower secondary general education programmes. It also contributes to student selection to different upper secondary education programmes (ISCED 3).

The SPE is a written examination, administered face-to-face and delivered through paper-pencil tests.

All test-takers are presented with the same cognitive booklets or tests, which are aligned with the national curriculum.

The SPE serves the following purposes:

- student certification for completion of lower secondary general education programmes

- student selection to higher education programmes or admission into specific courses or tracks

- school or educator accountability

- sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes

- monitoring education quality levels

- planning education policy reforms

The SPE accommodates students with special needs, by providing the following arrangements:

- Autism: use of prompters

- Hearing impairment: preferential seats, simplified instructions, supervised rest breaks, use of computers

- Visual impairment: test materials in braille or with larger font, additional time, use of separate rooms, supervised rest breaks, reader, scribe or assistant support

- Physical disability: additional time, use of separate rooms, supervised rest breaks, scribe support

- Emotional disturbance: additional time, use of separate rooms, supervised rest breaks, use of prompters, reader and scribe support, use of computers

- Language impairment: additional time, supervised rest breaks, scribe support, use of computers

- Environmental effect: examination in a different venue

Census (all students at the given grades or ages)

Results are reported at the student, school, sub-national and national levels. Data are disaggregated by sex and type of schools (public and private).

Results are published in reports, which are available in print. Examination results are broadcasted on the radio and on television, and published in the media.