INTRODUCTION

SPBEA’s aim is to continue to provide quality service to its members, promote self-reliance in the area of educational assessment and to encourage member countries to keep abreast with current developments in the area of educational assessment.

In doing this, SPBEA will assist member countries in improving the quality of education in the region through the use of the best assessment practices and procedures.

In the delivery of services, SPBEA will develop new and strengthen existing partnerships with national, regional and international organisations. This will provide greater co-operation at all levels and broaden its funding base to give a balanced funding structure for effective service delivery.

SPBEA will continue to strive for excellence in the delivery of its services to member countries through its key functions of:

• Assessment Training and Support
  
• Regional Qualifications
  
• Accreditation
  
• Information and Communications Technology and Research
  
• Corporate Management
  

OUR VISION

Excellence in providing educational assessment and research services in the South Pacific

OUR MISSION

• Deliver quality assessment training to member countries to assist them in improving the quality of education through use of assessment procedures
  
• Deliver quality assessment support to member countries to assist them towards self reliance
  
• Provide quality, internationally recognized qualifications to member countries
  
• Commitment to be a centre for assessment information and research in the Pacific region
  

OUR VALUES AND PHILOSOPHY

The way SPBEA works, the perspectives that drive its decisions and the interrelationships with staff and stakeholders impacts on its efficiency, effectiveness and day-to-day operations. By adopting an agreed set of collective values and philosophies we will shape and facilitate organisational effectiveness and set the framework of reference for all our activities.

SPBEA is committed to embracing the following values and philosophies:

• Pursuit of Excellence
  
• Client Satisfaction
  
• Staff Satisfaction
  
• Cultural and Political Sensitivity
  
• Transparency and Accountability
  
• Equity and Fairness
  
• Flexibility and Accessibility
  
• Dynamic Approach
• Creative and Proactive
  
  Key Strategies
  
  For SPBEA to become the leading authority in the provision of educational assessment services in the region, and in order to deliver cost effective, high quality and timely, professional services to member countries, we have identified the following strategies to support the way forward in the next five years:
  

1. Support sustainable development in areas of educational assessment
2. Provide quality, internationally recognized, qualifications
3. Provide an accreditation service and qualification register for the region
4. Provide technical assistance to support information and communication systems
5. Maintain national and regional databases to provide the basis for effective research
6. Institute quality corporate governance
7. Maintain effective strategic management
   

1. Support sustainable development in areas of educational assessment

SPBEA will continue to support member countries in improving the quality of education through the use of educational assessment procedures.

Strategies

• Maintain and improve support and training opportunities for member countries by developing and implementing effective work programmes that underpin quality services
  
• Implement strategies and initiatives to improve the effectiveness of services to member countries in line with regional and international initiatives including the Pacific Plan through:
  
• Assessment for Learning, development of assessment resources, student profiling and reporting results
  
• Monitoring of Standards and benchmarking results
  
• Identifying solutions to problems through research
  
• Adopt and maintain a participatory approach to support and training services to assist countries towards self-reliance and sustainability
  
• Identify and apply best international assessment trends and developments
  
• Secure qualified and competent expertise both in staffing the organization and in the providing of consultancies to maintain organizational capacity
  

Outcomes

• Effective support and training activities, addressing the needs of member countries, are delivered
  
• Strategies for improved service delivery are developed and implemented
  
• Cost effective and timely delivery of services are provided
  
• Self reliance and sustainability of the delivery of assessment within countries is established
  
• Member countries are aware of the range of services that SPBEA’s provides.
  

2. Provide quality, internationally recognized qualifications

SPBEA will continue to provide quality, internationally recognized, qualifications for the region until member countries become self-reliant in this area.

Strategies

• Establish and maintain cost effective, quality assurance systems to ensure effective production and high quality of the region’s Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate (PSSC) and South Pacific Form Seven Certificate (SPFSC)
  
• Establish and maintain quality assurance, and controls, for the qualifications to be reliable, valid, fair and equitable and of a recognizable international standard
  
• Assist with the establishment and maintenance of quality management systems in schools in order to reach a higher degree of self-management in the operations of the qualifications
  
• Establish a meaningful reporting system that recognizes student achievement through the reporting of outcomes
  

Outcomes

• Production of the region’s Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate (PSSC) and South Pacific Form Seven Certificate (SPFSC) qualifications is of high quality and is cost effective
  
• Qualifications for students are recognised as being reliable, valid, fair and equitable
  
• Provision is made for a relevant range of valid assessment methods, and for a comparable standard of assessment within and across all subjects, schools and countries
  
• Recognition of student achievement, through the reporting of outcomes is fully implemented in an informative and meaningful way to all stakeholders
  
• Quality management systems, to achieve assessment goals and objectives, are in place in schools, with assistance being given to school leaders in order to reach a higher degree of self-management in the operations of the qualifications
  
• Self-funding of the Qualifications Unit achieved within five years.
  

3. Provide an accreditation service and qualifications register for the region

SPBEA will develop and operate an accreditation service in conjunction with the development and on-going operation of a Regional Qualifications Register.

Strategies

• Develop a Regional Qualifications Register in line with the requirements of the Ministers of Education of the region and the PIFS
  
• Develop accreditation procedures for qualifications to be included in the qualifications register
  
• Adopt and maintain a participatory approach to support countries to develop and maintain their own qualifications registers and accreditation procedures
  
• Operate a regional qualifications register in conjunction with quality accreditation processes.
  

Outcomes

• A regional qualifications register template is developed
  
• National qualification registers are developed that are in line with regional requirements
  
• Accreditation process are developed that are in line with the requirements of the regional qualifications register
  
• A quality and dynamic regional qualifications register is operating in the region.
  

4. Provide technical assistance to support information and communication systems

SPBEA will continue to support member countries in improving the information and communication technology, and in enhancing existing systems for processing results, as well as for general administration of qualifications

Strategies

• Establish more efficient and cost-effective systems of administration, processing and analysis of assessment, within SPBEA, and in member countries
  
• Establish self-reliance in the technical areas of the assessment units in member countries
  
• Establish updated and modern computer and information systems
  
• Monitor and respond to trends in global development and technology
  

Outcomes

• Efficient computer network systems at SPBEA which are accessible to member countries are established
  
• Efficient, reliable and faster processing cycles maintained
  
• Cost effective and timely delivery of quality services
  
• Self reliance of processing and analysis of qualification and assessment data is established
  
• Technical assistance provided is aligned with international best practice and global trends
  
• Member countries are aware of SPBEA’s capacity for technical delivery
  

5. Maintain national and regional databases in order to provide the basis for effective research

SPBEA will continue to develop national and regional databases for the purpose of providing the basis for research and effective information to member countries, in order to assist in improving the quality of their education systems.

Strategies

• Establish an effective central database accessed by member countries
  
• Promote and facilitate research to improve assessment systems and to enhance teaching and learning
  

Outcomes

• Effective central database established and maintained
  
• Research frameworks and guidelines for the formulation of policies, design methodologies and development strategies are developed
  
• Research capacity at SPBEA and member countries is established
  

6. Institute quality corporate governance

SPBEA will continue to implement sound management principles and procedures which will be reflected in the services provided to member countries.

Strategies

• Establish and maintain a performance driven organization based on effective corporate governance
  
• Establish and maintain an integrated corporate risk management programme
  
• Develop, implement, maintain and review quality systems and processes for financial administration, corporate services and human resource management
  
• Equal opportunity approaches adopted in all activities and key functions
  

Outcomes

• Recognised as a well managed and respected organization delivering quality services
  
• Effective risk management procedures in place
  
• Culture of transparency and accountability entrenched within the organisation
  

7. Maintain effective strategic management

SPBEA will continue to maintain a strategic management approach in the delivery of its services to member countries, and develop and maintain partnerships to broaden funding and skill opportunities.

Strategies

• Implement strategic management policies and practices
  
• Maintain an integrated management approach across the key functions
  
• Maintain an effective performance appraisal system
  
• Optimise funding opportunities for project/programme support
  
• Strengthen links between SPBEA and other assessment organisations, as well as regional and international agencies.
  

Outcomes

• Strategic management and reporting is carried out across all key functions in the organization
  
• Staff appraisal system providing a basis for effective staff development is in place
  
• Timely and effective organizational programmes are delivered, monitored and evaluated
  
• Closer relationships with regional and international organisations allowing for, a broader base of funding, and an integrated approach to programme delivery are developed.
  

THE WAY AHEAD

The strategic plan identifies areas which will require SPBEA, over the next five years, to:

• Provide leadership in educational assessment in the region
  
• Consolidate its current position by achieving its targets and fostering excellence
  
• Enhance its quality assurance and accreditation roles
  
• Implement systems and processes that provide cohesive and timely services
  
• Ensure the on-going financial stability of the organization
  
• Reduce risks within, and improve confidence and credibility of the organisation
  
• Enhance relationships with stakeholders.
  

The challenges for SPBEA lie not only in the implementation of its plan but also in assisting the member countries to make a positive contribution towards improving the quality of education within their countries and across the region.

In addition to working closely with member countries, SPBEA will continue to maintain close links with other organizations, donors and agencies. These relationships are growing and leading to further work for the Board, much of which is in a partnership environment. A major benefit for the region from these relationships is to ensure services are not duplicated and programmes are managed in the most effective and economical manner. It is anticipated these links will be strengthened during the Second Five Year Plan.