Assessing the Adequacy of Formative Assessment Practices in Colleges of Education In South-western Nigeria: Implications for Quality Assurance

Abstract

Formative assessment practice is an important aspect of quality assurance in teacher education, but its sufficiency in Nigerian Colleges of Education has not been sufficiently studied. This research examined the practice of continuous assessment in the colleges of education in southwestern Nigeria through a systems theory framework and a concurrent explanatory mixed-method design. There were 445 second-year students, institutional administrators, and expert assessors. Tools: Assessment Quality Rubric (r = 0.83), Continuous Assessment Record Checklist, Interview and Focus Group Discussion Guides. Results showed that there were severe deficiencies: 100 per cent lack of assessment schedules in all institutions; 44.4% to 100% sufficiency in record-keeping; 50 per cent of periodic testing performance was rated as requiring improvement; nearly complete failure in the feedback provision, with students reporting never receiving continuous assessment scores until final results. These are key violations of NCCE standards. Such recommendations as the creation of standardised assessment schedules, systematic feedback protocols, digitisation of records, assessment literacy and compliance monitoring enhancement are offered. The paper provides empirical records of continuous assessment sufficiency, uses the systems theory to examine the assessment analysis, and draws the relationship between the insufficiency of assessment practice and the issues of teacher quality.