Barriers to effective school-based assessments implementation by primary school teachers in Savelugu Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

This study examined the difficulties encountered by primary school teachers in implementing school-based assessments (SBA) within the Savelugu Municipality. This research is significant in that it sought to clarify the challenges primary school teachers encounter in practising SBA in their classrooms. Fullan’s Change Theory, which explains that enduring change in educational institutions involves both strategic planning and emotional intelligence, guided the research study. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive research design with a structured questionnaire as the principal research instrument for data collection. A sample of 270 primary school teachers were randomly sampled from a target population of 686 instructors within the municipality. The study attained a 100% response rate of completed questionnaires. The statistical tools that were used to analyse the data were means and standard deviations. The study found among other challenges confronting the conduct of SBA at the primary schools were, inadequate training for teachers on SBA methods, students copying assignments from their peers, lack of support from school leaders and frequent absenteeism by students. The study concluded that for SBA to be successfully implemented at the primary schools, it would require the right support systems, like tailored training for teachers, access to SBA guidelines, and changes to the school schedule. The study recommended that the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education should furnish schools with essential resources, including materials and technical assistance, to facilitate effective implementation of SBA and enhance student learning outcomes in primary schools. Furthermore, educational institutions ought to engage in close collaboration with parents, community leaders, and social workers to tackle truancy and enhance steady student attendance.