ASSESSMENT FOR  IMPROVED  TEACHING AND LEARNING  IN THE PROMOTION OF  EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Our educational system's continuous assessment is a relatively new invention. It is regarded as one of the most significant outcomes of the Nigeria National Curriculum Conference, which took place in 1969. "Educational assessment and evaluation will be liberalized by using them in whole or part on continuous assessment of individual progress," the Nigerian National Policy on Education states explicitly in section 3 article 17 (g) that "advancement from one class to another (in primary school) shall be based on continuous assessment." Continuous assessment, according to Yoloye (1985), is a method of determining what a student gains from schooling in terms of knowledge, industry, and character development, taking into account the pupil's performance in tests, assignments, projects, and other educational activities over the course of a term, year, or the entire period of a pupil's educational level. It is "a means of determining what the learner has learned from learning activities in terms of information, thinking, reasoning, character development, and industry." Continuous evaluation of students' learning experiences, according to Anikweze (1987), is an approach that allows teachers to guarantee that students are not just taught but also equitably educated. The emphasis here is on assessing affective behaviors throughout the class when students are actively participating in the learning process, according to Anikweze (1995). Continuous assessment, according to Falayajo (1979), is a "system of assessment carried out at predetermined intervals (usually coinciding with some identifiable units of instruction or level of educational system) for the purpose of monitoring the progress of students and the overall performance of the educational system." Continuous assessment, according to  Okoye (1991), is a systematic and objective process of determining the extent of a student's learner) performance in all the expected changes in his behavior from the day he begins a course of study in a progressive manner to the end of such course of study, as well as a judicious accumulation of all pieces of information derived from this purpose with the intent of using them to guide and shape the students in his learning from time to time. Continuous assessment is a method in which a student's final "rating in the cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor domains of behavior systematically takes into account all of his performances within a certain time of education." According to Akinade (1996), continuous assessment is defined as the systematic use of a variety of reliable multiple assessment tools at regular intervals to determine the learner's performance and ability in the three domains of behavior (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor), with the goal of obtaining a true picture of the learner and assisting him in reaching his full potential. Continuous assessment also allows teachers to have a stronger say in the overall evaluation of their students, allowing them to better tailor their curriculum and instruction to fit the requirements of their students (Ezenwu, 1991). All of these concepts are easily grasped, but when the term "educational standard" is stated, things get a little more complicated. The notion shifts and becomes less clear; there is no commonly agreed definition of quality, criterion, or assessment system for education. The significant knowledge on which the acquisition of many different kinds of information and comprehension of other subjects is based, as well as on inquiry, and which may constitute the basis of educational excellence Furthermore, achieving a high level of excellence in all of these fields is difficult, for example, in mathematics neatness, accuracy, methods, and layout; in reading, relative value is given to phrases emphasis, accent, and understanding; and in writing, neatness, accuracy, method, punctuation, layout, spelling of words, idea, and imagination (Okoye, 1991). All of these are subjective judgments that differ from one person to the next. There is a significant amount of subjectivity in the measurement of mental attitude. However, this does not rule out the possibility of some level of greatness in these areas; measurement is dependent to a greater or lesser extent on the measures employed, and because their measuring rods differ, measurement must also differ (Patrick, 1991). This is an educational norm that will constantly be contested.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study is primarily concerned with examining continuous assessment as a factor in raising educational standards, with the goal of identifying the significance of continuous assessment as a factor in raising educational standards in primary schools, particularly in rural areas(Okoye, 1991).Below are the schools been examined:

i. Alice Nursery and Primary School

i. Blessing Nursery and Primary School.

ii. Anglican Nursery and Primary School.

iii. Grace International Nursery and Primary School

iv. NUD Primary School.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research on continuous assessment is to look into the usage of continuous assessment as a significant factor in achieving all educational goals and standards in primary schools.

The following questions will serve as a guide for the researcher as she conducts her research and will provide answers to the research questions.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

The following questions are to guide the researcher in her study and provide answer to the research questions

i. What are the factors that contribute to continuous assessment being misused in Ifo Local Government Primary Schools?

ii. How often do teachers incorporate continuous assessment into their teaching and learning processes?

iii. What are the efforts of the government  to improve the use of continuous assessment in our primary schools?

iv. What can be done to improve the use of continuous assessment in our primary schools?

v. In what ways or areas have these factors influenced the educational standard in Ewekoro Local Government primary schools?

vi What are some suggestions for improving the use of continuous assessment in our primary schools in order to raise educational standards?

1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

A research of this form is intended to go a long way toward educating both the government and teachers on how to recognize and use continuous assessment as a significant component in supporting and also as a promoter of educational standards, particularly at the primary level.

1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This researcher project effort was intended to uncover all of the primary schools in the Ifo Local Government Area, but due to inadequate funding and a lack of time, the study was limited to a few primary schools in the Ifo Local Government Area.

1.7    LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 The researcher also faces the issue of financing, which is a significant and significant obstacle. The researcher will not be able to visit all of the primary schools in the Ifo Local Government Area due to funding limitations.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

CONTINUOUS: A continuous procedure that is neither disrupted or stopped. That is, the continuous existence of anything for a long length of time.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT: This is a systematic, thorough, cumulative, and guidance-oriented approach of assessment in its ideal form. It's widely regarded as a progressive, objective means of assessing students' success improvements from classroom instruction.

STANDARD: A precise degree of quality that is considered usual or acceptable for a given individual or scenario. It might also be an officially recognized unit of measurement.

PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL  STANDARD: This is the process of improving the quality of a certain educational process or the process of sustaining a high educational standard.

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