Abstract
Most schools have mark readings or announcement in an attempt to improve students’ academic performance. A paucity of studies exists on the attitudes of students towards mark ranking and announcement. Thus, the purpose of the study was to describe the attitude of students towards mark ranking and announcement of high school students in the Manzini region in Eswatini. A descriptive survey was employed; using Form 4 and Form 5 students from six schools in the Manzini region. A questionnaire reviewed by two lecturers from the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension, one from the Department of Consumer Sciences in the University of Eswatini and two high school teachers for face and content validity was used for data collection. Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the inter-item reliability of the instrument and was found to be 0.76. Findings of the study revealed that even though mark ranking and reading enhanced performance of best students; it also humiliated and embarrassed poor performing students; causing them to withdraw from learning. Therefore, the study recommended that monthly mark announcement should be exercised with care and programmes to assist poor performing of students must be developed.
Highlights
In an effort to encourage students perform well academically, most schools have mark readings or announcement
The study concluded that the students had a positive attitude towards monthly mark announcement or reading as it encourages best performing students to work hard; disclose struggling students so that they are assisted by their colleagues; and create a healthy competition among the students
Another conclusion drawn was that students’ negative attitude emanated from the fact that monthly mark announcement or reading humiliates and embarrasses poor performing students; grades are at times miscalculated; leads to teachers labelling students as good and bad; causing divisions among them
Summary
In an effort to encourage students perform well academically, most schools have mark readings or announcement. Oliva and Pawlas [1] described mark announcement as an exercise whereby students are acknowledged for their effort towards school work. The scores are ranked and the students’ monthly ranks are compiled by expressing the average marks in percentages [2]. Some schools even announce the marks of the pupils who performed poorly. These ranked marks after announcement are displayed on the school bulletin boards for every student to be able to see how she or he performed in that particular month [2]. In the USA, some schools require teachers to display student test scores in the classroom [5]. In Russia, the grades are announced, but comments are made as the grades are announced [6]
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