Monitoring performance: assessment and examinations in Africa

The rationale for, and experience with, the use of assessment to improve the quality of education in African education systems over the past two decades are described for four categories of assessment: (i) public examinations, (ii) national assessments; (iii) international assessments, and (iv) classroom assessment. The case for reform of public examinations is based, first, on a perception that their quality is poor in many countries and, secondly, on the belief that since teachers align their teaching to the demands of examinations, improving them will effect change in what teachers teach and, as a consequence, in the quality of students' learning. Examples of the use of examination data to improve student achievements are provided. Evidence is considered relating to the effects of changes in examinations on the content of teaching, level of student achievements, and students' cognitive processing skills.