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CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT ISSUES AND PRACTICES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA: THE “BIG PICTURE” OF ASSESSMENT MECHANISM

 Dr.Birhanu Moges Alemu

Adama Science and Technology University

School of Educational Science and Technology of Teacher Education

Email: abirhanumoges@yahoo.com

Accepted 14 November 2013

The main purpose of this study is to examine the issues and practices of continuous assessment in secondary schools in selected Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. This study used both qualitative and quantitative descriptive survey research design to collect and analyze the data. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussions. All these were applied to elicit opinion of all teachers, students and principals and their deputies of studies. Documents regarding grading practice, students’ performance, activities concerning feedback and related educational and instructional decisions were also consulted. Generally, percentages, means and chi-square were used as the main methods of analysis. The findings of the study revealed that: (1) Proper student assessment in the sampled secondary schools are inadequate because (a) most of the sample secondary school teachers lack skills of assessing students’ performance in using continuous assessment, (b) school principals established to help the implementation of continuous assessment have not to their expectations of teachers, and (c) manuals and directives of continuous assessment are inadequate. (2) Continuous Assessment Strategies were Lesley used and (3) there is a positive relationship between some of the continuous assessment strategies used and students’ performance. The researcher concluded that continuous assessment strategies positively contribute to the performance of students. It was recommended that regulations and policies should be put in place so that all schools can benefit from the practice and a uniform policy should be emphasized. Also training for teachers should be encouraged especially in the use of continuous assessment strategies.

Keywords: Continuous assessment, Ethiopia, Oromia Regional State, practices, secondary schools.

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Palgo Journal of Education Research

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