SACMEQ IV Study Design

Methodology
Quantitative Study
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Method(s)
  • Overall approach to data collection: paper-based assessment and paper-based survey
  • Specification: cross-sectional
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Target population

Pupils/Learners

  • All pupils at grade 6 level
  • Mainstream primary schools, excluding
    • Special schools
    • Small schools
    • Unregistered primary schools
    • Hard-to-reach primary schools
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Sample design
STRATIFIED TWO-STAGE CLUSTER SAMPLE DESIGN
  • First stage: Sampling schools
    • Stratification of regions
    • Probabilities proportional to the size of the school (PPS)
    • Random-start fixed-interval systematic sampling
  • Second stage: Sampling students
    • Random selection of pupils within the sampled school
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Sample size
  • Intended sample size, per country:
    • School sample: 25–310 schools
    • Student sample: 1,300–7,600 pupils
    • Teacher sample: 100–700 teachers

 

  • Total sample size achieved:
    • 62,218 pupils
    • 6,667 teachers
    • 2,507 schools’ heads
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Data collection techniques and instruments

Pupils/Learners

  • Day 1
    • Pupil Homework Questionnaire (part of the pupil questionnaire was taken home by pupils in order to obtain and verify information from their parents)
    • HIV-AIDS knowledge (HAK) test
    • Reading test
  • Day 2
    • Mathematics test
    • Filling in questionnaires

 

Teachers

  • Tests in three areas administered to teachers and timed:
    • Reading test
    • Mathematics test
    • HAK test
  • Questionnaire

 

School Heads

  • Questionnaire
  • School information booklets completed by school head/deputy
  • School form

 

Other

  • Pupil Name Forms completed by data collectors using information obtained from school documents
  • Inspecting, counting, and recording physical school infrastructures

 

All instruments were implemented as pencil and paper versions.

 

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Techniques
  • achievement or student test
  • documents
  • questionnaire
  • others
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Languages

Administration of tests and questionnaires in official instruction languages:

  • English
  • Kiswahili
  • Portuguese
  • Others
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Translation procedures
  • Translation, by a team of experts, was from English into the other two languages; then back into English by a second team of experts.
  • The translations were professionally checked for discrepancies, inconsistencies, distortions, etc.
  • Amendments were then made to produce the final versions.
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Quality control of operations

Measures during data collection

  • Three trained data collectors were assigned to the sampled schools to administer the data collection instruments.
  • The data collectors checked all completed questionnaires (learner, teacher, and school head) and, if necessary, obtained any missing or incomplete information on the second day, before leaving the school.
  • Tests were administered in controlled school settings.
  • Clarification of items in the instruments was provided to respondents when required.
  • Information about parents provided by students in the questionnaires was verified with the parents.

 

Measures during data processing and cleaning

  • The SEACMEQ Coordinating Centre organized a training program for all national research teams (NRTs).
  • Data files were cleaned by the NRTs, emailed to the Coordinating Centre for checking, and then emailed back to the NRTs for further cleaning.
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Sources - Technical documentation
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Other sources
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