ICAN is an open-source, robust and easy-to-use assessment tool, available in 11 languages, that offers international comparability of results aligned to SDG 4.1.1 (a). ICAN was developed through a collaborative effort among PAL Network member organisations in 13 low and middle-income countries across Africa, America and Asia.

In its first round of large-scale household-based implementation, ICAN covered one rural district each in 13 countries. In Pakistan, ICAN was conducted by ITA that also conducts the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey. ASER Pakistan, with support from its global South-South Alliance, the PAL Network, tested the common set of numeracy items under ICAN in Toba Tek Singh district of Punjab. ICAN is an assessment of foundational numeracy using common items and provides data on early grade/lower primary learning. It further highlights gaps in foundational numeracy even for older children. Assessment domains were decided based on discussions with international assessment stakeholders and global partners.

While ASER Tools are based on basic numeracy skills adapted from grade 2-3 level curriculum, with tasks including number recognition, addition and division problems, ICAN tools are a step ahead with tasks ranging from number knowledge to geometry, measurement and data display.

In Toba Tek Singh, the survey reached a total of 60 randomly selected rural communities, 1,198 households and assessed 1,616 children in the age group of 5 to 16 years. Children were asked to do a variety of numeracy tasks. All tasks were done one-on-one with children in their homes. 

This exercise aimed to demonstrate proof of concept in two ways:

1. To demonstrate the feasibility of using a common assessment framework and set of tools across very different country contexts; and
2. To highlight the ways in which ICAN can be used to generate estimates that respond to important questions on foundational learning confronting countries in the Global South.

ICAN 2019 Reach and Coverage

ICAN Report

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ICAN Presentation

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ICAN Tool Brochure

ICAN Tool is available in 11 languages

English Urdu   [pdf]

Media Coverage

• Over 32% children of class 2-3 in Pakistan can perform numeracy tasks: ICAN Report - DND
• Pakistani second graders second in foundational numeracy in South Asia - Samaa TV
• ICAN 2020 Assesses Numeracy Level of Children in Pakistan
• Only 32.3pc children of class 2-3 in Pakistan can perform numeracy tasks: ICAN report - Pakistan Gulf Economist