CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          The history of evaluation in Nigeria educational system is not easy to trace. Perhaps its first mention was expressed in the form of the ordinance that was put in place in 1882. Among the provisions of this ordinance was that the following salaries.

          Firstly, grants for organization and discipline with special grant to school which obtain standards of academic excellence. Secondly a capitation pass grant for each subject.

          In 1889 another ordinance was enacted and it stated in part that no grants would be made in aid of any school except that the school in public examination shall have obtained the requisite percentage of efficiency. This explains the place of evaluation and testing of students in the school curriculum. Evaluation was relatively simple because it came as the end of the year programme. In the secondary there was a highly selective system of evaluation practice passport into secondary schools was an organized written examination followed by an oral interview. They were trimly and final examination which most schools depended on for the purpose of promotion (FAFUNWA 1975).

          One of the most important hallmarks of the national policy on education in (1981) is provision of continuous assessment as an effective tool for wholly or partial assessing and evaluating students learning out comes in the various level of our educational system. This continuous assessment is presently being run in secondary schools as it was introduced in 1982 the national policy on education (1981) provide a six year primary education three years junior secondary education, three years senior secondary education and four years in university each of this level would be allowed to implement continuous assessment as laid down by the federal ministry of education. It is marked by intentions to make students specialize early enough in the future carriers most importantly; it has provisions for making drop out employable

          The new system of education will replace the former one final examination system, which has allowed its usefulness the former examination system has been criticized for its short coming. It is common knowledge that very many students roam about the street during most of the school year, only to return to the classroom a week or two before the promotion examination period’s sickness, death of a relation e.t.c could lead to poor academic performance of any otherwise brilliant students. This underscores the point why many great scholars have argued that examinations is not a trust test of ones ability, there has been occasion when some students commit suicide because of falling examination.

          It should be recalled that this examination is highly predicted on the cognitive aspect of the student learning and tended to ignore effective and psychomotor aspects. Its consequently creates in our student an examination consciousness and an appetite for memorization and regurgitation of facts which in turn tends to stifle encourage examination malpractices among students.

          Therefore it is hoped that the introduction of continuous assessment will check short coming of the examination system.

          There are various tools, which may be used in finding out the outcome of learning activities these include test, assignment project, observation, interview and questionnaires, the data obtained on the student will then be used to aids his further development. Besides accurate records of such data are filled or further uses for the purpose of providing information to parents teachers, guidance and others who can use them for the benefits of other students

          Onocha (1982) define continuous assessment in four ways, first it is the building up of a cumulative judgment about the performance of each pupils secondly its continual updating of teachers judgment about the performance of each pupils secondly its continual updating of teachers judgment about their pupils thirdly it deliberately allow for periodic assessment towards the goals as well as success in reaching it. Finally it is a systematic collection of marks or grades over a period of time and their aggregation into a final grade

          The national seminars on evaluation of students achievement for continuous assessment define it as a method of ascertaining what a pupils has gained from learning activities in terms knowledge, thinking reasoning, character development and industry, taking assignment projects and others school activities during a given periods.

          Alternately with continuous assessment  the teacher will not only be able to initiate curriculum change he will be better equipped to do imaginative teaching knowing that his assessment of the students performance within the context changes he initiates in the syllabus and his imaginative teaching will form part of final assessment

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

          The research work is designed to investigate the attitude and competence of teachers to conduct continuous assessment is selected secondary school in Edo State

          This study will examine the problem of the implementation of the continuous assessment encountered by teachers in our secondary schools and offer useful suggestions to relevant authorities

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

          The purpose of this study is out lined below, this researcher wants to find

1.    the factor affecting the implementation of continuous assessment in selected secondary school in Edo state

2.    if the school teachers are adequately equipped to participate actively in the implementation of the continuous assessment programme of the state government

3.    teachers know the difference between continuous assessment and the traditional system of testing students

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.    how do teachers perceive continuous assessment

2.    what amount of competence is asserted by the teachers on the successful implementation of continuous assessment

3.    would the teacher prefer continuous assessment to the old system of testing in the classroom

4.    do the school provide enough facility for the teacher implementations

SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

          Education development sustains the growth of the entire nation. We need adequate assessment method that would show exactly what on wishes to know about the individual. This explain why teacher attitude and competence in implementing continuous assessment is a necessity for all teachers in the new educational system in Nigeria

          This work will equip the classroom teachers to implement the continuous assessment in their various schools it will direct and inform teachers on area of the behaviour of the children to adopt in achieving these purpose

          Teachers also see continuous assessment as an acceptable and beneficial development in the evaluation of their input and student performance. This also enables the teachers to periodically assess his work and get motivation for greater action for progress especially when outcomes are positive

DEFINITION OF TERMS

          The following term are define as used in the study in order to avoid Mis -interpretation by different individuals

CONTINOUS ASSESSMENT:

          This is a method of ascertaining what a pupils gains from school in terms of knowledge, industry and character development, taking into account all his her performance in test assessment, project and other educational activities during a given period which an education is to determined

IMPLEMENTATION:                

          The act of process of putting into effect some operations, plans, polices or idea is know as implementation

COMPETENCE:

          This has to do with efficiency, the ability to be skillful, knowledgeable and to be effective in performing given tasks. It implies the possession of specialized skills active performance in specialized area like teaching field

COGNITIVE DOMAIN:

          A behavioral objective of remembering of something which had been learned

PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN:

          The psychomotor domain deals with manipulative skills and body movement.

AFFECTIVE DOMAIN: it has to do with values and beliefs, attitudes and appreciation interest social relation, emotional adjustment and life style.

6-3-3-4: the new system of education in Nigeria as spent out by the 1981 national policy on education broken down thus

6 - Years Primary Education

3 – Years Junior Secondary Education

3 – Years Senior Secondary Education

4 – Years Tertiary or Post Secondary Education

          The basis assumption in respect of this work is as followed

1.    There is no student preference for any method of assessment

2.    continuous assessment is not very adopted in school in local government area under study

3.    most teachers do not know when, who and why continuous assessment is being used recommended in schools

4.    most teachers have the motion that continuous assessment of students work is a difficult task due to regular administrative scoring and record of task

5.    that so many especially the old breed in the profession do not understand the whole concept of continuous assessment 

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