The Compulsory Sequential System of Assessment in Cameroon Evidence of a Conceptual Misunderstanding

Reforms in education, especially classroom practices, succeed only when teachers articulate beliefs and perceptions either during the planning phase or realization. At the introduction of the Sequential System of Assessment SSA in Secondary Schools in Cameroon, it was presumed it would increase commitment by school administrators and teachers to the use of students’ tests data and feedback to improve student learning and their own accountability for student learning. In practice, however, it is largely summative and serves as a means of control of teachers, students and curriculum . This study explores the conceptual misunderstanding underlying the practice, its non applicability and its continuing relevance in the context of Cameroon. A retrospective analysis of pre and post implementation data is made. Results indicate that the practice does not have any positive effects upon students’ learning, as measured in the Ordinary Level GCE results of English Language, French Language and Mathematics. The study established that the practice is rooted in a profound misconception wherein assessment is seen as a separate activity from instruction since the practice officially puts teaching on hold and intermittently shuts down learning for six weeks. There is an apparent mismatch between system priorities and classroom assessment practices. It is logistically impractical to provide qualitative feedback in Cameroon. Sustained dedication and enthusiasm from teachers are lacking. Formative assessment is scarcely achievable in a high stakes public examinations tradition like Cameroon. The study concludes that the practice is inhibited by conceptual and operational problems and recommends a sustained professional development framework for teachers and a reconceptualization of the practice with emphasis on teacher autonomy. The study finally cautions against imported “blueprints” and the peril of copying educational fads of developed countries. Kenneth Ngu Foncha | John Teneng Awa | Ndi Bernadette Frinwie "The Compulsory Sequential System of Assessment in Cameroon: Evidence of a Conceptual Misunderstanding" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-3 , April 2020, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd30696.pdf