Problems experienced by practitioners in implementing continuous assessment and common task for assessment in the General Education and Training Certificate in the North West Province

Abstract

This study reports on the findings of a research project into the problems facing the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) for Grade 9 learners in the North West Province. To do this, the views of school management staff, teachers and professional support staff were sought. This study confined itself to the North West Province, South Africa. The sample size was two hundred individuals, comprising professional support staff, school management staff and teachers who are directly involved with GETC and Outcomes-Based Assessment (OBA). Three main problem areas were selected for the purpose of this study. l)lese are (a) OBA assessment training (b) follow-up activities needed for teachers (c) challenges facing the school level implementation. The study culminated in recommendation of a professional support model for teachers. The findings of this study revealed that teachers in the province were not adequately trained for the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) implementation. Professional Support Staff did not offer enough follow-up activities to support the teachers during the implementation period and there after. Lack of this monitoring and supporting mechanism adversely affects the school level implementation of the GETC for Grade 9 learners. It was also revealed that schools are experiencing challenges regarding time management, implementation of CASS and CTA and in the processes and procedures followed in the GETC administration. The final recommendation is that there is a need to include in the pre-service training programmes, CASS and CTA assessment and develop an on-going professional support plan for teachers who are in the service.