PASEC

Languages

PASEC assessments are conducted in the language(s) of instruction used in participating countries. Most assessments have been administered in French, reflecting the membership of CONFEMEN and the predominance of French-medium schooling in participating countries. In the most recent cycles, however, several countries have assessed learners in national languages at Grade 2. Use the map to explore languages of assessment.

SDG 4.1.1a and minimum proficiency

PASEC can be used to report and analyse foundational learning at the early primary level. Results are reported on proficiency scales with performance levels that describe what pupils can do at different points on the scale. PASEC levels 2 and 3 correspond to the SDG 4.1.1.a minimum proficiency level in mathematics and reading respectively. 

PASEC is one of Africa's most important regional learning assessments. Coordinated by CONFEMEN, it measures reading and mathematics competencies among nationally representative samples of Grade 2 and Grade 6 pupils across Francophone Africa while also collecting rich information on schools, teachers, households, and learning environments. Since 2014, PASEC has operated through standardised regional assessment cycles, enabling robust comparisons across countries and over time.

Get the data

PASEC data are available through the PASEC data-access portal. Users can request and download datasets and documentation through the CONFEMEN/PASEC website.

AFLEARN resources

• A practical guide to analysing PASEC data in Stata R
• English codebooks
• Stata dofiles and R scripts to label variables and value labels in English.

Access the resources.

What is assessed in Grade 2?

Reading: Oral comprehension (37%) was assessed with oral messages combined with isolated words and sentences and texts, Decoding (28%) was assessed through letter, syllable and word identification and simple letter and word reading activities, Reading comprehension (35%) was assessed through exercises requiring students to read isolated words, sentences and texts, and then find, combine and interpret information.

Mathematics: Arithmetic (75%) was assessed through exercises involving counting, enumerating and handling quantities of objects, operations, number series and problem-solving. Geometry, Space and Measurement (25%) was assessed through the recognition of geometric shapes, and the concepts of size and location in space.

How is it administered?

PASEC is a school-based assessment, administered to nationally representative samples of pupils, using a common regional framework to support cross-country comparison. Grade 2 assessments were administered individually (one-on-one) and took approximately 30 minutes per subject (language and mathematics).