Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the opportunities and challenges in implementing continuous assessment in some selected government secondary schools of Harari regional state. In order to address this purpose, basic research questions related to the existing practice of continuous assessment implementation, opportunities and challenges in implementing continuous assessment in the schools under study were raised. For this study, descriptive survey design was employed; both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews and documents review. Among the seven government secondary schools found in the region, four schools was taken as a sample purposively because of validity, accessibility and geographical proximity. Totally, 556 respondents consisting of 136 teachers and 368 students by using systematic random sampling, 4 schools principals, 7 vice- principals,36 department heads and 4 regional education bureau supervisors and one assessment expert by availability sampling were selected as a sample for the study. The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean and t-test. This study showed that: there was a room for students to engage in learning and teaching process and also some items of continuous assessment implemented in secondary schools. Secondary schools teachers have limited in knowledge and skill using different sources in implementing continuous assessment. Teacher education curriculum and courses couldn’t gave adequate attention in measurement and evaluation course. There were gaps in monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of continuous assessment. It also showed that the current practise of continuous assessment implementation in secondary schools was partially good. Secondary schools were not conducive in order to implement CA. All stockholders were not play their role as per their expectation. Both the federal and regional governments considered implementation of continuous assessment as a priority agenda in teaching learning process. The findings have implication for practise, curriculum pre-service teacher training, appraisal system, marking portfolio, coaching strategy, school-university linkage, experience sharing forum, budget and capacity building program by MoE, MoSHE. HREB and Schools
