Riyadh — The Education and Training Assessment Commission (ETEC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (MoE), conducts the National Tests (NAFS), as one of the main tracks of national assessment for schools (NAFS).

Saudi Arabia would, for the first time, implement such nationwide tests covering all primary and secondary schools (around 20,000 schools and around 500,000 participating students).

ETEC has announced that the National Tests (NAFS) will be implemented annually to assess the academic performance of primary and middle school students.

Such nationwide assessment provides reliable data to support decision-making and motivate competition and excellence between schools and education offices and departments.

It will also provide an accurate measurement of some key performance indicators (KPIs) of the human capacity development program (one of the Vision 2030 programs).

In accordance with international best practice, national tests (NAFS) will take place before the end of each school year.

A representative sample of 6th and 9th graders from each school (public, private or international) will take a test designed to cover three areas of the national curriculum (reading, mathematics and science).

In addition, a randomly selected representative sample of Grade 3 students from a set of primary schools will be tested to assess learning outcomes in mathematics and reading at the national level as well as at the of the direction of education for grade levels.

Ninth graders will be tested June 5-8, while primary school students (Grades 3 and 6) will be tested June 9-14.

In addition to answering the test questions, participating students will be asked to complete a questionnaire attached to the test booklet. There are also questionnaires to be answered by school principals as well as teachers and parents of participating students.

The National Tests (NAFS) are the result of the joint effort and continuous collaboration between ETEC and the MoE to improve the quality of education in the Kingdom in line with Vision-2030 and capacity development program to prepare globally competitive citizens.

National test results will be published on ETEC platforms, including Tarteeb’s, to promote positive competition and motivate excellence in education, as well as to help parents learn about the performance of their children’s schools.

ETEC and the MoE look forward to input from interested parties in the national tests and expects educators, parents and students to cooperate for successful implementation, to achieve the national goals of improving the teaching and learning, improving school performance and promoting the efficiency of the education system. — SPA