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In response to the proposed bill in Congress requiring educational institutions to teach Emotional Education, a subject that must be taught from preschool to eleventh grade, with the goal of preventing risky behaviors and strengthening students' emotional well-being, and anticipating changes to the state exam, the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education - Icfes, an entity attached to the Ministry of Education, stated that the socio-emotional topic has been part of the country's Comprehensive Evaluation System for a couple of years and is being strengthened.
"Evaluation at the Institute has been evolving. It is a powerful tool for change that has the potential to revolutionize our educational systems. For several years, at Icfes, we have been advancing evaluation processes that go beyond academic knowledge; education must foster the integral development of the individual. This includes socio-emotional skills, values, and attitudes that are essential for life in society. And finally, innovation in the evaluation of educational quality, where it is crucial that evaluation methodologies evolve to reflect the current needs and contexts of students," said Icfes General Director Elizabeth Blandón Bermúdez, referring to legislative initiatives such as these that are in line with the advances being implemented.
In line with international standards for measuring well-being and social progress, which emphasize cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, as well as material and economic aspects, the ICFES has designed, developed, and implemented a Comprehensive Assessment System, which balances both summative and formative assessments with diagnostic intent to address the various dimensions of student development in Colombia. The system also has an inclusive approach that allows all students in the country to access the tests. The following explains the components of the system and how it offers a comprehensive view of students' educational development.
The Evaluate to Advance (3rd to 11th Grade) test was launched in 2019 as an initiative of the Ministry of National Education and the Icfes (National Institute of Statistics and Censuses). Its purpose was to offer a set of tools to support the assessment of learning for children, adolescents, and young people in grades 3 to 11, support the assessment process, and accompany teachers' teaching processes during the health emergency. Additionally, it was accompanied by questionnaires that seek to collect information on socio-emotional skills, associated factors, and perceptions about aspects that may have affected children, adolescents, and young people during the health crisis and that may be related to their learning.
Saber grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 assess students' basic competencies. Three auxiliary questionnaires were also administered to collect information on socioeconomic factors, associated factors, and students' socioemotional skills. Teachers, campus teaching directors, and principals also completed a questionnaire on associated factors.
Likewise, to achieve an understanding of the different dimensions of student development, the Icfes, in conjunction with the Ministry of National Education, has proposed the review and structuring of the CRESE tests, an instrument that seeks to obtain information on the skills, actions, and attitudes of students in grades 5, 7, and 9 related to citizenship, reconciliation, socio-emotional learning, and action against climate change, from an ethnic, territorial, and intersectional perspective.
In line with Bill 625 of 2025, the Comprehensive Assessment System includes formative and summative assessments, encompassing cognitive, non-cognitive, social and emotional skills, and socioeconomic and contextual factors associated with performance. Based on its results, the system provides a more complete understanding of student progress, provides valuable information for personalizing instruction, identifies areas for improvement, and promotes an educational environment that supports the comprehensive development of students at different levels of basic and secondary education in Colombia.