Feedback as it relates to public national Examinations in Kenya

Abstract

This research sought to examine feedback from public national examinations for learning in Kenya. This was done by carrying out primary and secondary research on the feedback reports written in the past. Feedback from public national examinations is in itself one of the products of the educated assessment.

The impetus to the research was due to the fact that these feedback reports are written year in year out and intended to give the pertinent curriculum information to the learners and teachers to enhance learning in schools. Also feedback from public national examinations for learning has not always lived up to its own intended noble aspirations as reflected in educational assessment worldwide. This may mean that feedback from public nation examinations does not meet the objectives stated therein. The researcher therefore thought that it was important to check the quality of the feedback from public national examinations in terms of purposes, policy statements, the process, roles and responsibilities, and the type of feedback given out to the stakeholders. The researcher also did this in order to determine areas in the feedback where improvement is needed.

The researcher looked into the feedback from public national examination reports as written by K1\1EC, focusing on curriculum evaluation in primary schools in Kenya. The researcher also analysed using the educational learning outcomes as stipulated by Benjamin Bloom (1967). The research design was naturalistic inquiry by applying the audit trail content analysis of the KCPE reports and policy documents on feedback from public national examinations.

The results reveal lack of a number of desirable qualities as prescribed by the intended curriculum learning outcomes, which are assessed at the national level. Among them are the policy guidelines, purposes, process and types of feedback in the feedback from public national examinations.