The announcement was made within the framework of the 62nd Meeting of LLECE National Coordinators, organized in Santiago by the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago from 14 to 16 April 2026. The meeting brought together national coordinators from member countries, authorities from Chile’s Ministry of Education, technical teams, specialists, implementing partners of the study and UNESCO representatives.
During the meeting, participants reviewed progress on the Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (ERCE 2025), one of UNESCO’s main educational assessment initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Implemented in 18 countries and subnational states across the region, ERCE makes it possible to produce comparable information on learning outcomes and the factors associated with school performance.
The sessions included the presentation and discussion of the analysis plan for the learning achievement instruments and context questionnaires, together with the guidelines for the communication plan for the dissemination of ERCE 2025 results, expected by the end of 2026. Initial guidance was also provided for the development of the next study cycle, ERCE 2030.
Haiti’s incorporation represents a significant step for the country, which seeks to strengthen its National Educational Assessment System in a context of major challenges. In recent years, the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) has promoted initiatives aimed at improving access to and the quality of education, including school feeding programmes, distance tutoring, academic levelling and actions to strengthen connectivity and access to energy.
In this context, Haiti’s Minister of Education, Vijonet Demero, joined remotely and expressed appreciation for the support received, stating: “We thank UNESCO and the IDB for their technical and financial support, which we consider highly strategic.”
“Haiti’s incorporation is a historic milestone for the region. It enables us to expand collaboration, learn together and continue strengthening education systems with a focus on the learning of children across Latin America and the Caribbean. We are especially grateful for the support of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB), which made it possible to move forward with this joint effort,” said Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago.
As part of these sessions, the seminar “Foundational skills: a basis for regional development” was also held on 16 April, focusing on the importance of ensuring that girls and boys develop reading, writing and mathematics skills from the early years. During the event, the document Contributions to the teaching of Reading, Mathematics and Science was presented. Developed on the basis of evidence from the ERCE study, it is designed to provide concrete resources for teachers.
On the occasion, Pedro Larraín, Acting Director of Chile’s Directorate of Public Education, stressed that “the challenge we are taking on is to place the classroom, that pedagogical core, and students and their learning at the centre, as the most valuable elements we must safeguard.” For her part, Esther Kuisch Laroche highlighted that “strengthening foundational skills from the early years not only has an impact on educational pathways, but also opens up real opportunities for participation, inclusion and development for individuals and countries.”
These sessions made it possible to consolidate technical agreements, strengthen collaboration among countries and project UNESCO’s work in regional educational assessment. With Haiti’s incorporation into LLECE and the preparation of the ERCE 2025 and ERCE 2030 cycles, the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago reaffirms the value of cooperation and comparable evidence for improving the quality and equity of education in Latin America and the Caribbean.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/haiti-joins-unescos-llece-laboratory-measure-and-improve-student-learning?hub=701
