Abstract:
This study was intended to examine teachers’ perception towards continuous assessment of
students’ learning in secondary schools of Jig-jiga City Administration. The available three
government secondary schools were taken as a sample from Jig-jiga city administration.
Based on this, a total of 268 respondents that were teachers, principals, vice-principals,
department heads, students, and supervisors were selected as the samples. The data were
gathered through questionnaire and focus group discussion. The findings of the study
unearthed that teachers and students had favorable perceptions towards continuous
assessment. Even though 87% of teachers expressed that they implemented continuous
assessment in their classrooms, the frequency of implementation was found sometimes
(62.4%). The major problems that hindered the practices of continuous assessment in the
sample schools were large class size by 74%, shortage of time for teachers, lack of school
facilities by 70%, inadequate training by 67%, shortage of stationary and instructional
materials, lack of teachers’ commitment, and inadequate teachers’ knowledge on different
assessment techniques, lack of guidelines in the schools, poor support from school and
administration, and teachers’ wrong conceptualization of continuous assessment. Concerning
the methods used to mitigate the challenges encountered on the practice of continuous
assessment, most of the teachers used recurrent tests and assignments at individual and group
levels. Therefore, it could be said that in the sample schools the implementation of continuous
assessment using various assessment techniques is not done even though they have positive
perception towards continuous assessment. Based on this, the implementation of continuous
assessment cannot achieve the intended results if it continues in such manner. Thus, Jig-jiga
city administration education office should give a great emphasis on the practicality of
continuous assessment at school levels and ensure its continuity by monitoring its
implementation through the assigned supervisors on the matter
