The Implementation and Challenges of Continuous Assessment Practices in Some Selected Primary Schools of Tselemti Woreda North West Zone of Tigray Regional State

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation and challenges of continuous assessment practices in some selected 8 primary schools in Tselemti Woreda North West Zone of Tigray. To conduct the study, descriptive survey research design was used. Both the primary and secondary sources of data were used. The primary data sources were students, teachers, and principals and vie principals from the targeted schools. The secondary data sources were relevant documents and manuals including student profiles and teachers instructional guide line. To this end 246 students, 38 subject teachers, 16 (8 principals & 8 vice principals) were including in the study. Quantitative data collected through questionnaire was analyzed by average mean using SPSS and the qualitative data collected using interview and FGD were analyzed by words and paragraphs. The relevant to the study were collecting using questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion and document. Consequently, the main findings come out from this study were: the responses from both the questionnaires, interviews and the information grasped through the FGD and documents were tells that there was no proper implementation of continuous assessment, most of the teachers were not used different types and techniques of continuous assessment and also they could not given constructive feedback to their students. The major challenges that hindered the implementation of continuous assessment were insufficient time to carry out the feedbacks, lack of infrastructure, large class size, heavy teaching work load of teachers, lack of teacher’s experiences, poor recording students profiles documents and the schools did not have the important relevant manuals. Finally, the researcher recommended that; the teachers should be implement all the important techniques of continuous assessment properly, it is better to participate and give chance to the students, and also they should be given a constructive feedbacks to students work and fulfillment of the materials which facilities the implementations of the continuous assessment practices.