Influence of Formative Assessment Guidelines on Students’ Academic Achievement: Evidence from Public Secondary Schools in Kigoma Municipality, Tanzania
Barakuba N.M Dobeye *
Department of Education, Faculty of Education, Jordan University College, a Constituent College of St. Augustine University of Tanzania, P.O.BOX 1878, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Eugenia Lucas Wandela
Jordan University College, A Constituent College of St. Augustine University of Tanzania, P.O.BOX 1878, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Daniel J. Mkude
Jordan University College, A Constituent College of St. Augustine University of Tanzania, P.O.BOX 1878, Morogoro, Tanzania.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Formative assessment is widely regarded as a cornerstone of students’ academic achievement, but its implementation at the classroom level is jeopardised by inconsistent guidelines. This study examined the influence of formative assessment guidelines on students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools in Kigoma Municipality, Tanzania. The study employed a convergent research design under a mixed-methods approach to collect data from 169 respondents. A total of 156 students were selected using simple random sampling, six teachers experienced in using formative assessments, six academic masters/mistresses, and one education officer. Data were collected using questionnaires for students and interviews for educators. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and means) using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 with a tested reliability coefficient of 0.713, while qualitative data were analysed using a deductive content analysis approach. The findings indicate that students valued weekly tests and clear teacher instructions as motivating and fair mechanisms that enhanced students’ academic achievement. Teachers also reported that classroom assessment guidelines are useful, but the guidelines lack competence-based clarity. Further, students prioritise formative assessments over national examinations, while socioeconomic limitations undermine the effectiveness of take-home assignments. The study concludes that the use of formative assessment guidelines improves academic achievement, but challenges in teacher preparation and policy-practice alignment persist. The use of technology in formative assessment is limited by infrastructure and connectivity; additionally, the study concludes that increased use of artificial intelligence and the internet is not a feasible option for public secondary schools in Kigoma Municipality. Therefore, policymakers should emphasise capacity-building initiatives for teachers and administrators in competence-based curriculum assessment methods. The shift from traditional teaching and learning approaches to competence-based models is often hindered by resource constraints or shortages. Emphasis on critical thinking should begin at the classroom level and support students’ academic achievement rather than merely high grades in final assessments.
Keywords: Formative assessment, assessment guidelines, academic achievement, continuous assessment, classroom assessment, student preferences, teacher feedback, competence-based curriculum, public secondary schools, Kigoma municipality