Perceived Sources of Test Score Pollution in Junior High Schools in the Northern Region, Ghana

Abstract

The impact of assessment results on teaching and learning development cannot be overstated. The performance of teachers, schools, and education systems is measured using test results. However there are concerns regarding dissatisfaction with achievement tests scores, misuse, and overuse of test results, high pressure to produce high test scores, high stakes nature of many tests uses, test scores used to determine educational improvements. The study assessed the perceived sources of test score pollution in Junior High Schools in two selected districts in the Northern Region, Ghana. A quantitative approach using descriptive survey was used for the study thus, the use of questionnaires to elicit responses from selected teachers. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (Independent samples t-test) were used to analyze the data. A total of 265 teachers were sampled from the two districts (Yendi and Saboba). The findings confirmed the main sources of test scores pollution in the districts as teacher factor, situational factor (test administration), and external factor (parents and community). The study further revealed that the incidence of test scores pollution was higher in private schools than the public schools. Again, test scores pollution was revealed to be higher in Yendi municipality than in Saboba district. It was recommended that government should take steps to reduce the high stakes nature of standardized examinations in the country and again provide appropriate in-service training to Junior High School teachers on testing practices to help curb the situation where teachers spend much time in class in preparing students for tests to the neglect of meaningful learning.