First published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This Child-Friendly Schools (CFS) Manual was developed during three-and-a-half years of continuous work, involving the United Nations Children's Fund education staff and specialists from partner agencies working on quality education. It benefits from fieldwork in 155 countries and territories, evaluations carried out by the Regional Offices and desk reviews conducted by headquarters in New York. The manual is a part of a total resource package that includes an e-learning package for capacity-building in the use of CFS models and a collection of field case studies to illustrate the state of the art in child-friendly schools in a variety of settings.

The effective use of educational assessments is fundamental to improving learning. However, effective use does not refer only to the technical parameters or statistical methodologies. Learning assessments in use todaywhether large-scale or household surveys or hybrid (smaller, quicker, cheaper or SQC)have varied uses and purposes. The present volume provides a review of learning assessments, their status in terms of the empirical knowledge base, and some new ideas for improving their effectiveness, particularly for those children most in need. It is argued here that SQC learning assessments have the potential to enhance educational accountability, increase transparency, and support a greater engagement of stakeholders with an interest in improving learning. In addition, countries need a sustained policy to guide assessment choices, including a focus on poor and marginalized populations.