Honduran Ministry of Education Administers WorkKeys Pilot Program

A recently completed pilot program could lead to the Honduran Ministry of Education’s countrywide adoption of selected WorkKeys assessments.

The pilot program—geared at reducing the dropout rate, increasing educational standards, and improving opportunities for young people—ran through November, according to Patrick Bourgeacq, director of international service relationships, ACT International Division. Staff administered the Spanish language version of selected WorkKeys assessments to students at Honduran vocational/technical schools and technical training students and private sector employers at the Universidad National Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH). Administration of the test began in August at a vocational/technical school in Tegucigalpa, the capital city.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is sponsoring the project. Ned Van Steenwyk, senior education advisor for the USAID in Honduras, was instrumental in making the pilot project happen. “I have been disappointed with the relevance of curricula in subject areas such as math and communication for young people, who must compete in a global economy in order to increase their employment options and income,” he said. “Their education has focused on theoretical and often irrelevant applications of subject matter. WorkKeys evaluates the practical application of math and communication skills.”

Honduran officials will compare their students’ scores to test scores earned by an average group of U.S. students. WorkKeys results will be used to help school administrators and teachers identify learning gaps and introduce teaching interventions needed to close them.

“By sharing the results with educators, students, parents, employers, and workers who are seeking improved employment opportunities, WorkKeys could become a powerful tool for curriculum reform in countries with traditional curricula developed primarily for a relatively small minority of the students who will go on to college in developing countries,” said Van Steenwyk.

Honduras has a very high student dropout rate (as high as 21 percent for some grades, particularly seventh and tenth); those who do graduate often go straight into the workforce to help take care of their families. It is among the poorest and least-developed countries in Latin America. The average per capita income is approximately $800 per year. The devastation produced by Hurricane Mitch, which killed 5,600 people and caused an estimated $2 billion in damage in 1998, added to the challenges the country faces.

As part of its efforts to increase educational standards, USAID is working in partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to help the ministry of education develop academic standards in math and Spanish, according to Van Steenwyk. Officials developed standards that are based on the ministry’s new curriculum for primary education and aligned with international standards. They also prepared curriculum calendars (pacing guides) and monthly formative evaluations, including standardized tests for first through ninth grades.

The system was implemented in 2007 in primary schools throughout the country, for validation of the standards, pacing guides, and formative tests. During the 2008 school year, these materials will be validated in middle schools.

“A proposal for standards in math and Spanish has also been developed for secondary education, and now we would like to compare the proposed standards for secondary education with the results from the WorkKeys tests,” said Van Steenwyk. “We are anxious to see the results.”

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