| Abstract: | The quality of education could be attributed to a number of factors which include
assessment. The type of assessment techniques employed by teachers affect the decisions
they make about students and their instructional management. The validity and reliability
of the decisions made depend on the quality of tests. In our educational system, the
promotion and repetition of students in their schooling are determined by the
achievements of students measured by classroom or teacher made tests. The quality of the
tests is ensured by applying the principles and suggestions of item writing. Consequently,
in this study 9 tests of various subjects prepared by teachers from higher learning
institutions (Private Colleges), a TVET college, and Higher Education Preparatory
Secondary Schools were analyzed for their quality. The results indicated that 100% of the
tests had problems related to language use, consideration of item writing principles and
suggestions, content validity, and other technical issues. The implication of the study is
that the quality of education could be severely jeopardized by the nature of the tests
developed and used by teachers. So assessments used by teachers should be the concern
of all stakeholders. Ignoring this crucial element of the educational process is
tantamount to paying no heed to the quality of education which leaves the objectives of
the national policy unachievable. |
