EDUCATIONISTS have come up with many assessments to gauge students’ performance in schools but there is no better option than the formal examination mode used for this purpose.

This is because there is a significant level of impartiality in this assessment approach. It is one of the most widely accepted processes used in assessment. It is also seen as the most detached means of gauging one’s educational achievement.

Of course, a child must be assessed throughout his tenure in school. But this cannot be used for any criterion-reference purposes due to its “jaundiced eye” and the absence of unified and universal criteria of assessment.

The Education Ministry will experiment with a new approach to assessment in schools beginning 2010. It’ll be known as school-based assessment.

An ideal approach, no doubt, but one that has to be handled with caution as the outcome could overshadow the ideals.

Theoretically, this mode of assessment may be ideal where students are assessed based on their all-round ability to adjust to their life processes.

Implementing it, though, is bound to create controversy, especially where parents’ perception is concerned.

School-based assessment is bound to invite criticism from parents.

No matter how well the approach to this assessment is carried out at school level, it would be perceived by some parents as unfairly exercised, especially when their children do not achieve the aspired grades.

Parents will point fingers at teachers if their children do not make the grade. One fear parents would have of the system is that some teachers could give their favourite students higher marks.

This would create discord and animosity between parents and teachers.

It would become thornier if it involves teachers and students of different races and religions.

Parents could construe the exercise as iniquitous when their children are assessed badly at school level, though schools may claim objectivity.

Some schools would seek to beat other schools and thus may manipulate the outcome.

We foresee more problems in the long run if this matter is not factored in by the ministry.

Another point is that teachers’ relationship with parents could again create rancour.

Even now, we see parents with means encouraging their children to give expensive gifts to their teachers on Teachers Day and at year-end school parties.

This practice should stop as it is tantamount to bribing the teachers.

The rich can afford to buy expensive gifts for teachers but what about the poor parents or parents who do not believe in doing so?

What I fear is that when grades can be determined by the school, there could be manipulation and this would invite more complaints from parents.

I fear hearing the word “corruption” creeping into schools.

We need to educate ourselves to accept that standard examinations are the best option for our children and train ourselves not to be obsessed with the process.

DR M.A. NAIR, Bandar Muadzam Shah

Source: NST – April 30, 2009