74
Figure 3.1.1: Percentage of Zero Scores in EGRA: Jordan vs. Other OIC Countries
Source: Authors; adapted from Gove et al (2013). All data corresponds to assessment conducted at
the end of grade 2 except Nigeria (middle of grade 3).
A zero score is recorded for those students who are unable to correctly read any words on the
first line of a one minute oral reading fluency assessment using a graded reading passage (Gove
et al 2013). One out of every five Jordanian children assessed obtained a zero score compared.
In case of EGMA, 24 percent of Jordanian students failed to correctly answer items in the
subtraction subtask, which consists of 20 single-digit subtraction problems (Gove et al. 2013).
Jordan appears to perform well in early grade assessments only when compared to other much
poorer OIC countries for which data is available. For instance, the percentage students with zero
scores in case of Nigeria, Iraq and Morocco are 78%, 34% and 33% respectively. However,
comparison to 2014 round of EGRA suggests some improvement (Figure 3.1.2). The percentage
children with zero score dropped from21 in 2012 to 11 in 2014. Among boys, this declined from
25 (2012) to 16 (2014) while for girls the fall was very sharp, from 17 in 2012 to 7 in 2014.
Figure 3.1.2: Percentage of 2 Grade Students Who Could Not Read A Single Word Of
Connected Text
Source: Authors, based on RTI/USAID data
0 20 40 60 80 100
Nigeria (Hausa)
Yemen (Arabic)
Iraq (Arabic)
Morocco (Arabic)
Jordan (Arabic)
Senegal (French)
0,00
0,05
0,10
0,15
0,20
0,25
0,30
All Boys Girls
2012 2014