Universal Standards for

Quality in Education
To enable the delivery of
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
Universal Standards for
Quality in Education
To enable the delivery of
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
2017
ii \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

Acknowedgements
Participants of the eDiscussion
https://www.thecommonwealth-educationhub.net/
quality-standards-education/
Participants of the Roundtable
https://www.thecommonwealth-educationhub.net/
quality-standards-education/
Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia
Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility, Malaysian
The Education Ministers Action Group (EMAG)
The Commonwealth Accelerated Mechanism for
Education (CADME)
Dr Ved Goel
Dr Ruth Hamman-Dina

© Commonwealth Secretariat 2017

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 Contents \ iii

Contents
Short definitions of Standards for Quality
in Education 1
Longer definitions and description of Standards of Quality in Education 3
Mapping the Standards against the SDGs 5
Resources/web links 6
References 6
iv \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

Diagram of Standards
of Quality applied to the
Commonwealth Education
Policy Framework

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 Introduction \ 1

Introduction
Education continues to be critical for many reasons such
as reducing levels of poverty, improving quality of life,
stimulating innovation and progress. Creating a single set of
quality standards has been described as challenging, but may
be useful if sufficiently broad to be inclusive.
A single set of standards for quality in education needs to
be viewed in the context of world-wide cultures and belief
systems that influence the curriculums and approaches
in teaching and learning systems. A concise definition for
“quality” in education is challenging to arrive at and many
definitions may be found. When looking for definitions,
one easily finds definitions and descriptions that relate to
education in different ways, or that relate to systemic factors
such as the quality of examination or qualification systems.
None of these standards met the need for an overarching set
of quality standards.

A few of the existing quality standards that have been taken notice of are:

CHEA International Quality Group International Quality Principles

http://www.chea.org

ICT competency standards for teachers: policy framework, UNESCO

http://tinyurl.com/kgwf99a

Teachers’ standards, UK Government

http://tinyurl.com/lmspn2n

Professional Standards, Education and Training Foundation

http://tinyurl.com/z42awmt
2 \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

Short definitions of
Standards for Quality
in Education
1) Purpose
To improve the quality of education to enable the delivery of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

2) Definition
Quality education refers to a system or product that has passed a certain
set of criteria or principles. The standard approach in setting the criteria
or principles for quality implies that quality can always be further improved.
Quality thus implies the maintenance and improvement of standards with the
assumption that ‘standards’ are objective and quality is a continuous change.
Quality in education across the education system consists of the application
of the principles of: Effective, Empowering, Equity, Sustainable, Appropriate,
and Wellbeing & Safety (EEESAW).

3) Rationale
Quality is an important aspect for cost effective educational outcomes.
There is no global or Commonwealth consensus on what is meant by quality.
The Education Minister’s Action Group (EMAG) has asked for the
development of Commonwealth Standards for Quality in Education.
 Introduction \ 3

4) Standards of Quality

Commonwealth
Education Policy
Framework
First Draft
January 2017

Attribute Abbreviated Description

Education that is evidence based, cost
Effective effective and delivers intendwwed
outcomes.

Empowering Education that enables.

Education that is fair, accessible for all

Equitable and inclusive.
Education that can be maintained at a
certain rate or level that balances the
Sustainable requirements of social economic and
environmental development.
Education that is suitable or relevant in
Appropriate the circumstances
Education that protects and promotes
Wellbeing & health and wellbeing and strengthens
Safety resilience.
4 \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

5) Application of Standards of Quality

(based on the Commonwealth Education Policy Framework)
System Description
Political will; legislation; policy and
regulation; strategic planning;
Governance
financing; organisation; quality
assurance.
Leadership and ethics; social
Governance Advocacy mobilisation and community
engagement; communication.
Educational professional
Knowledge

Advocacy

development; curriculum;
Capacity infrastructure and technology;
Capacity standards and accreditation; wider
workforce planning.
Research and development;
innovation; monitoring and evaluation;
Knowledge
Pre-school
Governance
dissemination and uptake; ICT and
online learning.
Adult Primary
Early socialisation of children;
Knowledge

Advocacy

Pre-School readiness of learners; effective

Secondary
coalition for delivery.
Capacity Reaching hardest to reach; building
literacy, numeracy and socialisation;
providing foundations for secondary
schooling; early assessment of
Primary school
Pre-school learning and development; gender
role models; language policy;
Adult Primary addressing specific gender-based
factors of child non-attendance.
Secondary Differentiated policies for lower and
upper secondary education; balance
Secondary of subject knowledge; safe and
school accessible; tackling specific threats;
addressing specific gender-based
factors of child non-attendance.
Tertiary education, Technical and
vocational education and training
Adults
skills; adult education and learning;
lifelong learning and learning cultures.
Mapping the Standards against the SDGsMapping the Standards against the SDGs

Equitable
Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable

1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5 4.1, 4.3, 4.5 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 8.5, 8.7, 8.7 9.1 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 13b 15b 16.3, 16.6, 16.7 17.4
1.4, 1.5, 1.b 2.b 4.6, 4.a, 4.b 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 10.4,10.b 11.7 16,9, 16a
5a, 5b, 5c

Effective
Effective
Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective

1.2, 1.b, 2.3 3.4, 3.5, 4.2, 4.6, 4.c 5.c 8.3, 8.6 9.4, 9.5, 9.b 10.5, 10.6, 10.a 12.2, 12.3, 12.b 13.2, 13.3, 13.b 14.2 15.7 16.6, 16.8 17.16, 17.17
3.7, 3.8 9.c 12.c

Wellbeing & Safety Effective

Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing Wellbeing
& Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety & Safety
1.3, 1.5 2.1, 2.2, 2.4 3.1,3.2,3.3 4.5, 4.a 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 8.7 10.7 11.1, 11.2, 11.5 12.3, 12.4, 12.5 13.1, 13.3 14.1, 14.2 16.1, 16.2, 16.3
2.a, 2.c 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 5.6 6.4, 6.5, 6.6 11.b 12.8, 12.c 16.4, 16.a
3.7, 3.8, 3.9 6.a, 6.b
3.a,3.b,3.c, 3.d

Appropriate
Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate

1.3, 1.b 2.c 3.6 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 8.2, 8.3, 8.9 9.a 15.9, 15.c 16.10 17.1, 17.5, 17.12
17.13, 17.14,
17.15

Empowering
Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering Empowering

1.4 2.4 3.d 4.4, 4.7, 4.b 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 6.b 8.b 9.2, 9.3, 9.4 10.2, 10.5, 10.6 11.4, 11.5, 11.a 12.4, 12.6, 12.7 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 15.3, 15.6, 15.9 16.5, 16.7, 16.10 17.1, 17.2, 17.4
5.4, 5.5, 5.6 9.5, 9.b, 9.c 10.b 11.c 12.a, 12.c 14.4, 14.a, 14.b 15.a, 15.b 16.a 17.6, 17.7, 17.8
5.a, 5.b, 5.c 14.c 17.9, 17.10, 17.16
17.17, 17.18,
17.19

Sustainable
Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable

1.1, 1.2, 1.3 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 3.3, 3.7, 3.9 4.7, 4.a, 4.c 5.4, 5.6 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 7.b 8.2, 8.4 9.4, 9.a 10.1, 10.7, 10.b 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 13.2, 13.3, 13.a 14.4, 14.5, 14.6 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 16.a 17.8, 17.14, 17.15
1.4, 1.a 2.4, 2.5, 2.a 3.b, 3.c 6.4, 6.5, 6.6 11.5, 11.6, 11.7 12.4, 12.5, 12.6 14.7, 14.c 15.4, 15.5, 15.6 17.16, 17.19
2.b 6.a, 6.b 11.a, 11.b, 11.c 12.7, 12.8, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9
12a, 12b, 12.c 15.a, 15.b, 15.c

SDG Targets: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld

6 \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

Longer definitions and

description of Standards
of Quality in Education
Effective An output of specific review/analyses that measure the quality
of the achievement of a specific educational goal or the degree
to which an education institution can be expected to achieve
specific requirements (UNESCO 2007).
This refers to services that are adherent to an evidence base and
result in improved outcomes for individuals and communities,
based on need (WHO 2006).
Information derived from formal research and systematic
investigation to identify causes and contributing factors to needs
and actions in given contexts and populations (WHO 1998).
The hierarchy of evidence based approaches presented by
Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine – Levels of Evidence
(March 2009) is presented below. It is well recognised with higher
levels of evidence presented further up the list:
Meta-analysis
Systematic review
Randomised control trials
Cohort studies
Case controlled studies
Case studies
Expert opinion

Economic appraisal is important aspect of effectiveness that

considers not just whether an intervention works, i.e. its benefits,
but also looks at the cost of an intervention. This is useful for
priority setting allowing opportunity costs to be taken into
consideration. There are a number of recognised methodologies
for economic appraisal including:
Cost-benefit analysis
Cost-effectiveness Analysis
Cost-utility analysis
Empowering Empowering is the expansion of assets and capabilities of people
to participate in, negotiate with, influence, control, and hold
accountable institutions that affect their lives. (World Bank 2002).
 \7

Equity Equity in education is the means to achieve equality. It intends to

provide the best opportunities for all students to achieve their
full potential and act to address instances of disadvantage which
restrict educational achievement (UNESCO 2015).
The absence of avoidable or remediable differences among
groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially,
economically, demographically, or geographically. (WHO 2015).
Differences in health which are unnecessary and avoidable but,
in addition, are also considered unfair and unjust (Whitehead and
Dahlgren, 2007). Services/facilities appropriate for the individual’s
circumstance irrespective of geography, gender, race/ethnicity,
age, culture, or sexual orientation (Marmot and Allen 2014).
Sustainable The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
highlighted the Brundtland Commission’s report (1987) has
defined sustainable development as, “development which
meets the needs of current generations without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This
concept supports strong economic and social development. It
also underlines the importance of protecting the natural resource
base and the environment. 
Appropriate Suitable or proper in the circumstances (Oxford Living
Dictionaries, 2016)
Relevant - Closely connected or appropriate to what is being done
(Oxford Living Dictionaries, 2016)
Methods, procedures, techniques and equipment that are
scientifically valid, adapted to local needs and acceptable to those
who use them and to those for whom they are used, and that
can be maintained and utilized with resources the community or
country can afford (WHO 2004).
Wellbeing & Defined as packaged delivery which minimize risks and harm to
Safety service users (WHO 2006).
Reducing risk, promoting healthy and safe environments in
education settings, sanitation, noise and transport injuries
and chemical, environmental, biological and radiation hazards.
Protection from heat, cold, flooding, environmental disasters,
injuries and violence.
Resilience skills: School based emotional literacy, violence and
abuse prevention programmes.
Behaviour and health literacy to address risk factors and promote
positive health behaviours (tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sexual health,
physical activity, injury prevention, healthy eating and oral health.
Healthy living environments.
(Commonwealth Secretariat, Health and Education Unit, Systems
Framework for Healthy Policy 2016).
8 \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

Resources/web links
Commonwealth Education Hub: background papers and case studies available at:
https://www.thecommonwealth-educationhub.net/quality-standards-education

References
1. Adams, D (1993), Defining Educational Quality. Improving educational quality
project, available at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnaca245.pdf
2. Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (2009), ‘Oxford Centre for Evidence-based
Medicine – Levels of Evidence (March 2009)’, available at: http://www.cebm.net/
oxford-centre-evidence-based-medicine-levels-evidence-march-2009/
3. Marmot M and JJ Allen (2014), ‘Social determinants of health equity’, American
Journal of Public Health. 2014,; 104(Suppl 4):S517-S519. doi:10.2105/
AJPH.2014.302200. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4151898/
4. Maxwell RJ (1984), ‘Quality assessment in health’, British Medical Journal
(Clinical Research, ed), 288 (6428):1470-1472, available at: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
gov/pmc/articles/PMC1441041/?page=2
5. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2006), ‘Methods for
development of NICE public health guidance’, available at: http://www.nice.org.
uk/guidance/ph1/evidence/methods-for-development-of-nice-public-health-
guidance-120988045
6. Oxford Living Dictionaries (2016), https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/
appropriate
7. Oxford Living Dictionaries (2016), https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/
relevant
8. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (2004),
‘Sustainable development - concept and action’, available at: www.unece.org/
oes/nutshell/2004-2005/focus_sustainable_development.html
9. UNESCO (2007), ‘Quality Assurance and Accreditation: A Glossary of
Basic Terms and Definitions’, available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/
images/0013/001346/134621e.pdf
10. UNESCO (2015), ‘Equity in Education’, available at: http://en.unesco.org/world-
education-forum-2015/5-key-themes/equity-education
11. Whitehead, M and G Dahlgren (2007). The Concepts and principles of equity and
health: Levelling up Part 1, World Health Organization, Copenhagen, Denmark,
available at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/74737/
E89383.pdf
12. WHO (1998), Health Promotion Glossary, World Health Organization, Geneva,
available at: http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/about/HPR%20Glossary%20
1998.pdf?ua=1
13. WHO (2004), A Glossary of Terms for Community Health Care and Services for
Older Persons, available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/68896/1/
WHO_WKC_Tech.Ser._04.2.pdf
14. WHO (2006), ‘Health Promotion Glossary Update’, available at: http://www.who.
int/healthpromotion/about/HPR%20Glossary_New%20Terms.pdf
 Longer definitions and description of Standards of Quality in Education \ 9

15. WHO (2006), Quality of care: A process for making strategic choices in health
systems. World Health Organization, Geneva, available at: http://www.who.int/
management/quality/assurance/QualityCare_B.Def.pdf
16. WHO (2015), ‘Equity’, available at: http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/equity/
en/
17. World Bank (2002), ‘A Framework for empowerment: summary’,
available at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEMPOWERMENT/
Resources/486312-1095970750368/529763-1095971096030/summary.pdf
10 \ Universal Standards for Quality in Education

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