A Comparative Study on Assessment Practices Between Private and Public Early Childhood Centres in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: Despite numerous quantitative studies on teachers’ conceptions and practices of assessment, little research exists regarding the unique assessment environment of Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. This study uses quantitative data to compare how teachers in private and public early childhood centres employ assessment practice in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.
 Methodology: The study adopted a participant selection model in which quantitative data was analysed to select 232 participants from 149 schools with the use of descriptive survey design.
 Results: The findings revealed that both private and public early childhood teachers make use of both formative and summative assessment practices in their classroom settings. Further analysis of the data revealed that both private and public teachers in the early childhood centres employed multiple assessment tools when assessing learning outcomes among children. However, public early childhood teachers have higher level of understanding of assessment practices than their counterparts in the private centres.
 Unique Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practices: It is therefore recommended that headteachers in collaboration with the Metro Education Directorate should organise workshop to equip ECE teachers with skills on the use of the various assessment types in the early childhood centres especially those in the private schools. Again, headteachers and circuit supervisors, within Kumasi Metropolis should encourage ECE teachers to continually use multiple assessment tools in assessing learning outcomes. Lastly, more workshops and in-service trainings should be organized by the headteachers, with support from Metro Education Directorate, for private early childhood teachers in the Kumasi Metropolis to equip them with the knowledge on assessment practices, since they seem to have limited knowledge on it.