BASELINE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ASSESSMENT DATA COLLECTION 

The Baseline Student Achievement Assessment data collection was administered in 114 selected schools in Western Chitwan that offer grade 8. Baseline data collection took place between June 17 and June 28, 2018. In each school, the test was administered to all Grade 8 students who were present on the test day.

Two distinct sets of questions (here referred to as modules) for each of the three subjects were prepared. This was done in order to reduce the risk of students copying and sharing answers. Additionally, two versions of each Math and Science module were created by re-ordering the questions included in each of the distinct modules. Finally, 2 Nepali modules (N1, N2); 4 Math modules (M1, M1-B, M2, M2-B); and 4 Science modules (S1, S1-B, S2, S2-B) were prepared.

During the assessment, two students sat on one bench. Distinct modules of the same subject were distributed among students in an alternating way to avoid copying and sharing. Students were not allowed to use a calculator or any extra scrap paper and were given 2 hours to complete the subject test. Distinct subjects were administered on different days, such that no student sat for more than one subject test in a single day. The Baseline student achievement assessment was administered by 48 trained personnel of ISER-N.