National Education Assessment 2024
Grades III and VI Report
Highlights
The National Education Assessment (NEA) 2024-Grades III and VI Report is part of a triennial, sample-based large-scale assessment conducted at key stages of learning including Grades III, VI and IX to evaluate students’ competencies in foundational subjects.
For Grade III, the focus is on Dzongkha reading literacy, English reading literacy and Mathematical literacy. Grades VI and IX are assessed in Dzongkha and English reading and writing literacies as well as Mathematical literacy and scientific literacy.
The NEA also gathers contextual data on student wellbeing, teaching practices, school conditions and home environments offering a comprehensive picture of Bhutan’s education system.
In November 2024, around 4,633 Grade III students from 183 schools and 4,810 Grade VI students from 198 schools including children with disabilities participated in the NEA 2024 main survey.
The report provides critical insights into foundational learning outcomes highlighting student performance trends, learning gaps and systemic strengths. The report identifies several key priority areas to guide future education policy and practice in Bhutan. These include strengthening Dzongkha literacy, particularly in the early grades; addressing low proficiency levels in Mathematics and Science at Grade VI; enhancing support and inclusive strategies for children with disabilities and expanding access to Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD).
The findings emphasise the need to invest in ICT integration and teacher professional development focused on 21st-century skills as well as ensuring sustainable funding and strong national ownership to maintain regular NEA cycles. Further, it highlights that embedding the NEA within Bhutan’s long-term education strategy will be critical to achieving inclusive and high-quality learning outcomes for all Bhutanese children.
The report was developed by the Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment (BCSEA) in partnership with Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a globally recognised institution in educational research and assessment, with financial support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and UNICEF Bhutan as the coordinating agency.
This marks the second cycle of Bhutan’s national large-scale assessment initiative. The Ministry launched the first NEA 2021 Grade III Report in March 2023 covering a total of 4,685 grade III students from 184 schools across the country.
