Student Assessment in Primary Education Conference Report Volume 1 Summary of Proceedings and Recommendations

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS The conference attracted about 200 delegates including thirteen from nine other African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and five from countries outside Africa. Ugandan delegates included officials from the MOES, District Education Offices, NCDC, UNISE, Universities, NTC, PTC, NGOS and UNEB. The other participants included assessment practitioners and experts from the World Bank, United Kingdom and Ireland. Twenty plenary papers and twelve discussion papers were presented to the delegates. Seven papers originated from Uganda, nine from other African countries and four from outside Africa.. The vast majority of delegates (90.4%) thought the balance of national and international papers was appropriate and 89.4% commended the quality of the papers. The theme of the conference was student assessment in primary education and papers covered four sub-themes: the role of assessment-related data in educational policy making; defining and monitoring national and international education standards; using assessment-related data for improving teaching and learning in the primary education phase; assessment in primary education classrooms in developing countries: challenges and possibilities. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Conference papers and the ensuing debates highlighted a number of problematic issues for assessment systems in general, and the assessment system for primary education at the primary education level in Uganda in particular. PLE PLE is experiencing considerable difficulties and it is in danger of losing the confidence of the general public. The PLE is under pressure because it is a high stakes examination. There are places in senior one for approximately 40% of primary school leavers. This places considerable pressure on the selection system and therefore on PLE. These are conditions in which malpractice is bound to flourish, and yet UNEB and the PLE are held accountable. PLE has a dual role. It is also the means of certification for the completion of the primary education cycle. The conference agreed that PLE is ill-suited to serve two functions, and a more appropriate means of certification should be sought - one that calibrates achievements in a broader sense than the PLE, and one that all students can take with them from primary education as a record of their achievements, however diverse these may be. Continuous Assessment It was agreed by the conference that the problem facing Continuous Assessment in Uganda is quite the opposite of that faced by PLE. Continuous Assessment is "low stakes" assessment. The Conference recommended that Continuous Assessment should be strengthened and used in the certification process, thereby reducing the burden on PLE. Monitoring Learning Achievement Uganda is currently involved in three programmes that monitor student achievement in a sample of the primary school population. The conference questioned whether participation in three such programmes represents efficient use of resources, and recommended rationalisation. It was recommended that: ▷ the national monitoring programme, NAPE, should continue, with some strengthening; ➤ participation in SACMEQ should continue, preferably under the UNEB umbrella; > there need be no further participation by Uganda in the regional MLA programme.