Central Data Catalog

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is a large, citizen led, household based assessment aiming at providing reliable estimates on the learning levels of children aged 5 to 16 years residing in all rural and a few urban districts of Pakistan.

ASER was first administered in Pakistan with a pilot in 2008. Being primarily a rural survey, ASER started to progressively include a few urban centres. ASER has thus successively expanded from 84 districts in 2011 with initial sampling of 3 urban centres to 144 districts and 21 urban centers in 2014.

Unlike contemporary national assessments, ASER is being implemented through a participatory coalition approach that involves ordinary citizens in the process of data collection. Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) coordinates the initiative, while many local organizations provide volunteers and logistics. This builds capacities and ownership of local organizations, and empowers citizen with an accessible tool for evidence gathering and action. Volunteers administer the instruments to each eligible child in selected households, and also fill the household questionnaire. In addition to assessing children in households, volunteers also collect data on enrollment and attendance, funding, facilities and teachers' qualification in selected government and private schools.

The instrument is administered orally only. Two different samples have been developed for each test. During the test administration, the child holds the booklet so as to make him or her feel comfortable. The child is allowed to choose the words and paragraphs for reading at his or her convenience.

ASER Pakistan's main purposes are:

- To get reliable estimates of the status of children's schooling and basic learning

- To measure the progress in these basic learning and school statistics compared to that of the year before

- To make these results available to inform policy decisions at various levels.

Random sample

Data is disaggregated by sex, age groups, type of schools, geographic location (urban and rural), and socio-economic status of the household.

Results are disseminated through a report available in print and online. ASER also arranges different dissemination activities such as Baithaks (village gatherings) for parents, children and community members; dialogues with teacher unions and government officials; provincial and district launches; and university seminars to share ASER Findings.