Teachers Competence in the Educational Assessment of Students: The Case of Secondary School Teachers in the Amhara National Regional State

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess secondary school teachers’ competence in the educational assessment of students in Amhara National Regional State. Data was collected using a modified form of the “Teacher Assessment Literacy Questionnaire,” a four-option multiple choice test from 814 teachers. The questionnaire consisted of seven competence areas and a total of 31 items. Means and standard deviations, and proportion (percentage) were used to describe the collected data. Moreover, t-test and one-way ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The result showed that secondary school teachers in Amhara National Regional State failed to demonstrate competence in the educational assessment of students. They failed to demonstrate competence in the overall and in each of the seven standards of educational assessment of students. The t-test showed that those who took a separate course in measurement and evaluation during their training scored statistically significantly higher than those who did not take a course where the mean for those who took a course being greater by 1.28 points. Although it was not statistically significant, language teachers scored higher than those who were teaching other subjects, where the mean difference was one point. The results implied that the status of training prospective teachers in student assessment should be analyzed seriously. The Regional Education Bureau may consider developing in-service training programs in educational assessment for teachers.