Curricula

For children to obtain recognised and meaningful certification, it is important they learn from a nationally recognised curriculum or one as closely aligned to it as possible. This indicator measures the proportion of learning spaces using a curriculum aligned to national standards. It can be relevant at the coordination/education authority level and during project design. Refer to Important Comments for contextual considerations where multiple curricula or standards exist.

When using the national curriculum (or formally recognised curriculum), take the number of targeted schools or learning spaces using this curriculum and divide it by the total number of targeted schools or learning spaces. Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage of the indicator.

If using a non-formal curriculum (i.e. not the nationally recognised curriculum):

1. Contact the Ministry of Education (or relevant authority) and/or the Education Cluster/Working Group (or other (national) education platform, as relevant) to verify which non-formal education curricula is recognised by the relevant authorities and/or is recommended by them as being most closely aligned to national standards.
2. If there is no recommended curriculum or the curriculum used in the targeted learning spaces is not formally approved/recommended, it is important to conduct an analysis of the curriculum being used to compare its contents to the national standards and/or the recommended curriculum.
3. To do this, establish criteria together with relevant stakeholders in the context, to determine which criterion (or what percentage of the criteria) need to be met in order for the curriculum to be considered as aligned with the national standards. A good question to ask when making comparisons and setting the criteria is: will children have the knowledge and skills they need to be able to transition to formal education at the appropriate grade level after they have completed this curriculum?  
4. To calculate the percentage, once the assessed curriculum being used in the schools or learning spaces has been measured against the set criteria. Divide the number of learning spaces that have passed the minimum number of pre-determined criteria divided by the total number of targeted learning spaces. Multiply this number by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

Disaggregation of the data can be done by the education level (pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, higher/tertiary), and/or type of school or learning space (formal versus non-formal) as relevant.

1) This is INEE Indicator 3.5.

2) Some contexts may use a curriculum that is an alternative to the national curriculum but is recognised and approved by relevant authorities in that area (for example, a curriculum set and approved by authorities in areas outside of the control or authority of the national government). In such cases, the indicator can either measure alignment to the national curriculum or the formally recognised standards in the target area, as appropriate.

3) Whilst not specifically measured under this indicator, attention should be paid to the cultural, social and linguistic relevance, as well as gender and age-appropriateness, of any curricula in use – even if this is not required by the nationally set standards. Such benchmarks will help ascertain whether the curriculum is appropriate to the target audience.

4) Note that questions related to standardised curricula can be sensitive in some contexts, particularly where multiple alternate curricula exist. Ensure to take appropriate measures to Do No Harm during the data collection process.