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Review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on basic education in NigeriaPupils are rarely asked <strong>the</strong>ir views on teaching. However, where questioned, <strong>the</strong>y have expressed adesire for better teacher attendance, better lessons (namely ‘step-by-step’ processes), more interestinglessons, play methods <strong>of</strong> teaching, more pupil questioning, better explaining, and more correction <strong>of</strong>homework and classwork (UNICEF 2012; Dunne et al. 2013). They have also emphasised <strong>the</strong> need forclassroom discipline to prevail to stop ‘noisemakers’ and classroom bullies from distracting <strong>the</strong>m fromlearning (Dunne et al. 2013).4.5 AssessmentTeachers clearly need capacity building in assessing pupils’ work and progress, as evidenced in <strong>the</strong>recent assessments carried out on primary teachers in <strong>the</strong> ESSPIN-supported states. Diagnostic tests <strong>of</strong>over 21,000 primary teachers’ ability to monitor and assess pupil learning in Lagos State revealed that38.6% were unable to use an assessment guide to correct two au<strong>the</strong>ntic pieces <strong>of</strong> primary-level pupilwriting, while 15% were only able to use <strong>the</strong> guide in a ‘limited way’ (Johnson 2010). There may be anissue regarding <strong>the</strong> degree to which teachers were simply confused by <strong>the</strong> test and/or ‘froze’ because<strong>the</strong>y had not taken a test for many years (over half <strong>the</strong> teachers were over <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> 40). Never<strong>the</strong>less,<strong>the</strong> results would seem to indicate that teachers have problems assessing pupils’ work. This is notsurprising given <strong>the</strong>ir own low levels <strong>of</strong> literacy: only 34% were deemed to have ‘sufficient’ or ‘nearsufficient’ basic literacy skills (Johnson 2010). The earlier assessment <strong>of</strong> primary teachers in Kwara Statecame up with similar results (Johnson 2008; see also Section 10.5.1).Given <strong>the</strong> above, <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> reliable data on pupil attainment (ActionAid 2011, 2012; Dunne et al. 2013)is unsurprising. What is more, teachers are also experiencing difficulty in implementing <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial policy<strong>of</strong> CA (Urwick and Aliyu 2003; FME 2005; Adekola 2007; Theobald et al. 2007; UBEC 2012a; Dunne et al.2013).4.5.1 Continuous assessmentThe <strong>of</strong>ficial policy on progression from one grade to <strong>the</strong> next is one <strong>of</strong> automatic promotion based onCA. The First School Leaving Certificate was discontinued in 2006 following automatic promotion to JSS(Theobald et al. 2007). At <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> basic education pupils are awarded <strong>the</strong> Junior Secondary SchoolCertificate: 60% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> marks are allocated to CA and 40% to an exam administered at <strong>the</strong> state level.However, although CA is now supposed to be in operation it is poorly and unevenly implemented(Urwick and Aliyu 2003; Adekola 2007; Theobald et al. 2007; Dunne et al. 2013), and it is frequentlymore a case <strong>of</strong> ‘continuous testing’ ra<strong>the</strong>r than using <strong>the</strong> range <strong>of</strong> instruments, including <strong>the</strong> moreformative assessments expected <strong>of</strong> CA (Urwick and Aliyu 2003; FME 2005; FME 2011a).Findings from various national studies have noted a lack <strong>of</strong> criterion-referenced tests ei<strong>the</strong>r fordiagnostic purposes or for monitoring pupil progress (Adekola 2007). This may be due to a combination<strong>of</strong> large class sizes (see Chapter 3) or inadequate teacher education (see Section 10.5), as well asinsufficient government direction (Moya 2000). Citing findings from an earlier JSS study that indicatedthat teachers were unable to keep CA records and were using assessment instruments <strong>of</strong> varyingquality, Moya (2000) concluded that <strong>the</strong> government should have given greater guidance and providedcommon instruments:The administrative burden <strong>of</strong> continuous assessment on teachers and <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> available instruments o<strong>the</strong>rthan previous tests raise concerns about <strong>the</strong> validity and reliability <strong>of</strong> current continuous assessmentpractices; cross-school comparisons using <strong>the</strong> current alignment approach are dubious and moderation ispoor or non-existent (Wilmut and Yakasi 2006, cited in Theobald et al. 2007: 20).EDOREN – Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria 43
Review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on basic education in NigeriaThe 2004 ESA survey on <strong>the</strong> in-service experiences <strong>of</strong> secondary teachers provides some explanation forthis as only 14% <strong>of</strong> teachers sampled reportedly received in-service training on CA (FME 2005). CA didnot even feature on <strong>the</strong> list <strong>of</strong> in-service training topics for primary teachers.On top <strong>of</strong> this, <strong>the</strong> extremely high levels <strong>of</strong> student transfer recorded in and out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sampled JSSs in<strong>the</strong> 2004 ESA raise serious questions about <strong>the</strong> way CA is actually working in practice (FME 2005). In <strong>the</strong>more recent UBEC impact assessment, stakeholders in Abbia, Ebonyi and Kano states highlighted <strong>the</strong>need for training for better record-keeping for CA and monitoring <strong>of</strong> pupil progress (UBEC 2012a).4.5.2 Exam malpracticeExam malpractice is ano<strong>the</strong>r feature <strong>of</strong> assessment that makes it difficult to gauge <strong>the</strong> progress <strong>of</strong>learners and to diagnose difficulties for remedial work. The practice <strong>of</strong> cheating at exams has beenfound to be pervasive, involving some members <strong>of</strong> all stakeholder groups to some degree (FME 2005). Inan ESA survey <strong>of</strong> Primary 4 pupils (see Table 4.2), only just over a tenth <strong>of</strong> pupils claimed that nocheating was going on.Table 4.2Observable behaviours during examinations in primary schools among Primary 4 pupilsObservable behaviours Frequency PercentagePupils who are not clever spyon clever onesClever pupils let weak pupilscopy from <strong>the</strong>mSome pupils copy answersfrom booksSome pupils get up from <strong>the</strong>irseats to copy o<strong>the</strong>rs' workThe teacher sometimes helpssome pupils6,869 43.582,863 18.162,737 17.361,092 6.73438 2.78None <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> above 1,764 11.19Source: Education Sector Analysis (FME 2005: 267)According to responses received from students, teachers and parents at secondary level, <strong>the</strong> majorculprits are students (59.7%), invigilators (53.6%), teachers (33.9%), parents (29.0%), schools (25.2%)examination bodies (24.3%) and law enforcement agents (15.4%). This suggests that almost all partiesare implicated in exam malpractice, at least to some extent (FME 2005: 267–268), although <strong>the</strong> scale <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong>se practices was not explored. Around 40% <strong>of</strong> parents interviewed blamed <strong>the</strong> fact that examquestions were not related to <strong>the</strong> syllabus as <strong>the</strong> main cause <strong>of</strong> exam malpractice (ibid.)4.6 Teacher–pupil relationsThe classroom is as much a social as a pedagogical arena, and social relations between teachers andlearners and among learners can have as much an impact on pupils’ learning, retention and successfuloutcomes <strong>of</strong> schooling as pedagogy (Dunne et al. 2007). Yet we found very little research on <strong>the</strong> nature<strong>of</strong> teacher–pupil interactions beyond considerations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> purely academic, and even with regard tothat, detailed information is sparse.The PTTE underlined <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> education focusing on whole-child development in school:EDOREN – Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria 44
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