M6U1A3 - High Stakes Assessments

High stakes testing in Namibian State Schools

From Grade 1 to 9 students write annual exams to determine grade promotion and prepared by their school teachers based on the state schools syllabus. Conversations with parents and former students suggest that teachers "teach to the test." Low-performing students receive little attention, and high performing students, not sufficiently challenged with teachers focusing on the groups just passing the mark. The failure rate of students is also higher in rural schools compared to urban schools due to highly-qualified teachers' preference to work in urban areas.

Namibian students face two important exams that can determine their future. The Junior Secondary Certificate for grade 10 and the NSSC IGCSE/HIGCSE for grade 12 pupils can determine grade promotion, receiving a high school diploma and meet university entrance requirements. Out of 21 104 full-time grade 12 learners who sat for the 2016 Namibia Senior Sec­ondary Certificate Ordinary level only 7 772 qualified for admission to universities (Confidente 2017). About 13000 pupils failed grade 12. Students whose parents can afford it will send their children to state-owned open colleges to improve their grades to apply for tertiary studies, while the poorest have to find low-paying jobs or no employment.

There are no laws or policies yet that hold state school teachers accountable for examination results and that rewards “effective” teachers and to either support or penalize “ineffective” teachers.

High stakes testing at Windhoek International School

WIS offers three different curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, Diploma Program and the Cambridge IGCSE.

Two high-stake exams happen in Year 11 (IGCSE) and Year 13 (IBDP). The IBDP is a well-recognized program and achieving a graduation diploma can provide entrance to some of the best universities in the world. Students prepare over two years for the final exams with low-stakes testing in between to identify students who are struggling and may need additional help. School fees for the IBDP are very high, and only the well-heeled can afford to send their children to this program. Students also need to have achieved excellent results in their IGCSE exams to be considered for the IBDP. Students that only chooses to complete their IGCSE can attend some universities and colleges with lower entrance requirements. The results from these high-stakes tests can influence a teacher's position in the following school year. Due to the high school fees; parents expect results.

For other year levels, there are mainly low-stakes testing to recognize where students are in the learning process,  their learning needs and to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching practices in developing students knowledge or understanding in math, science, languages, reading and writing. Students receive equal opportunities to succeed with little to no retention to repeat an academic year. Students of concern with multiple recommendations from all teachers and with parents permission are held back to repeat the school year.

References

High-Stakes Test.(2014, September 18). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/

Kamenetz, A.(2015, January 22). The Past, Present and Future of High-Stakes Testing. Retrieved on May 15, 2017 from http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/01/22/377438689/the-past-present-and-future-of-high-stakes-testing

Hangula. J.(2017, January 12). Over 13000 learners fail Grade 12. Retrieved May 15, 2017 from http://www.confidente.com.na/2017/01/over-13-000-learners-fail-grade-12/

Victor, A. (2011, March 18). The Namibian Education System: Who is failing the Nation? Retrieved on May 15, 2017 from http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=77481&page=archive-read