ABSTRACT: This study examined the Problems of Effective Implementations of Continuous Assessment in Biology in Secondary Schools. The study employed a survey design. Two research questions were raised to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of all the Biology teachers in the ten (10) public senior secondary school in Eket Local Government Area. Four (4) Biology teachers from five selected secondary schools were randomly selected to give a sample size of twenty teachers. The instrument used was structured questionnaire. The researcher administered the questionnaire to the respondents (teachers) by hand and personal visit. The data retrieved from questionnaire was analyzed with a mean statistical was analysis.
Problems of Effective Implementations of Continuous Assessment in Biology in Secondary Schools
From the findings of the study, certain problems of effective implementation of continuous assessment between male and female teachers was revealed, that continuous assessment consumes teachers time and energy and also problems faced in effective implementation of continuous assessment in Biology teaching in rural and urban schools was revealed that there is no sufficient tools for effective implementation of continuous assessment in rural and urban schools.
It was therefore recommended that government should provide necessary tools for effective implementation of continuous assessment in both rural and urban schools, also seminars should be conducted to the teachers on how to effective implement continuous assessment in schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Assessment is not a new or recent concept some schools of taught contend, that assessment of all kinds originated from the Garden of Eden. The reason advanced for such claim is that God kept man in the Garden of Eden and issued some rules adam and eve disobeyed one of the rules and ate the fruit of knowledge. (gen. 3vs 1-7)
Assessment was also practiced by ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese empires. In our traditional African society. It was practiced but very informal till the advent of western educational formal assessment in our educational system was introduced with the advent of external bodies like the royal society of Art (RSA), West African Examination Council (WAEC) etc.
The result of such assessment test or examination had far reaching implication for the teachers and the students the teachers taught strictly according to the syllabus and students, did everything within their reach to ensure success as it was a passport for better life cum better job. The federal ministry of education (FME 19981) introduced as one of its component features the issues of continuous assessment in the school educational system tagged the 6-3-3-4 system. Since then, the issue of continuous assessment has been a subject of discussion in our educational circles in Nigeria.
Bassey (2009) advocated assessment as the specific concept or skill. The assessment process can inform the teacher what the students has learnt and which concept and skills to be re-taught. In order to improve achievement of the assessment process. There has to be an essential of the overall introduction process.
The handbook on continuous assessment (FME 1985) defined continuous assessment as a mechanism whereby the final grading of the students in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of behaviour is taken into account in s systematic way in terms of performance during a given period of schooling.
Ojerinde and Falayajo (1984) view continuous assessment as a method of finding out what the students have gained from learning activities in terms of knowledge, thinking and reasoning, character development and industry with views of possible guidance. In Nepal, continuous assessment is used in the promotion process or as an indicator of school quality (Carnoy, 2002). Continuous assessment is also used to provide teachers with fess back about students’ performance and achievement.
However, despite the central role of continuous assessment in enhancing the teaching-learning process, we do not know a great deal about teachers continuously assess their students in schools Yet, Kellagham, T. and Greany, V. (2003) further suggested that, there is evidence than the quality of those practices may be deficient in many ways. This might also be one of the reasons why students’ performance in secondary schools has continued to deteriorate Bassey (2009) pointed out that the principal tools for this type of education student were indirectly encouraged to memorize a collection of fact to be used during examination.
Udo (2007) stressed that continuous assessment line of problems. It does not take into consideration the unique role of the local conditions of the student health, school setting socio-economic factors of the students cum the culture of the community. Notwithstanding the numerous blessing, there are some definite problems associated with the replacement of old system of education test and examination with continuous assessment in biology Ezewu (1985) observe that the teacher should bear in mind that it is not the frequency of test given to student that make up the continuous assessment, rather the systematic planning of each assessment, so that no assessment, takes place by accident.
Okoro (2005) opined that, there are as it enables the students to be alert at every stage and become high achievers, the also observed that, continuous assessment will help in curriculum development as a guide for sequence learning materials with respect to depth and extent.
Problems of Effective Implementations of Continuous Assessment in Biology in Secondary Schools
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In view of the fact that effective implementation of the policy on continuous assessment in Biology in secondary schools hangs on the teacher, it therefore means that the level of student’s academic attainment is dependents on the teacher. In this case, the biology equipped with the necessary tools to enhance proper assessment implementation.
The extent to which continuous assessment is done in the school is not well defined sometimes, the teachers collect money from students and scores him/her what they do not merit. Akpan (2013). There are many lope holes associated with continuous assessment practice in school. this project is therefore an attempt to provide a lasting solution to the problem of continuous assessment in Biology in Eket Local Government specially in schools.
