FROM ASSESSMENT TO ACTION: EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR IMPROVING READING COMPETENCIES USING EGRA RESULTS

Abstract

This article examines the role of early grade literacy assessments in driving educational reform, focusing on Tunisia's adoption of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA). The 2021 results revealed significant challenges: many students struggled with basic reading fluency, with pronounced urban-rural disparities, and over 90% lacked reading support at home. These findings exposed systemic deficiencies in foundational skill development and stark inequities across geographic and socioeconomic contexts.

The analysis demonstrates how EGRA functions as an essential diagnostic tool, enabling identification of learning gaps, supporting evidence-based policy decisions, and informing targeted improvements in teaching practices and resource distribution. Tunisia's experience offers valuable lessons for education systems worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating how rigorous assessment frameworks can transform early grade education and foster greater educational equity.