UNESCO and Ecuador make progress in measuring socio-emotional skills and comprehensive educational development

Between 23 and 25 September, the LLECE Laboratory team from the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean visited Ecuador to deliver a report on the main analyses and results of the technical support provided to the Multi-Year Resilience Programme for Educational Inclusion (MYRP). This initiative, driven by the global fund Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and led by UNESCO's office in Quito, focuses on strengthening education in emergency situations and prolonged crises. During this first phase, Ecuador requested technical support from LLECE to measure socio-emotional skills in students from MYRP schools, such as empathy, openness to diversity, and self-regulation in school. These skills were also assessed in the latest Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (ERCE 2019).

Moreover, the LLECE team met with officials from Ecuador's Ministry of Education and the National Institute for Educational Assessment (INEVAL) to discuss educational topics within the framework of the 2030 Agenda, the application of the upcoming ERCE in 2025, and the incorporation of socio-emotional skills into the Ecuadorian curriculum. New opportunities for collaboration in educational assessment for improvement were also explored.

Additionally, during the visit, the results of the ERCE Schools pilot project were presented to the five participating educational centres. This tool assessed third-grade students to gauge their learning in Reading and Mathematics both at the beginning and end of the school year. The initial results showed significant progress, and this initiative is expected to expand to other regions of the country.

"The visit to Ecuador allowed us to continue advancing an educational agenda that generates evidence and data to inform decision-making in each school. Teachers knowing the state of students' learning creates opportunities for interventions that impact educational equity and quality," said Carlos Henríquez, General coordinator of UNESCO's LLECE Laboratory.