A person who knows and is aware that he knows, is wise, follow him; A person who knows but is not aware that he knows, remind him; A person who doesn't know and is aware that he doesn't know, teach him; A person who doesn't know and pretends to know, is fool, leave him


Bless me in my undertakings Dear God, grant me victory and I shall shout your blessings for all to hear of your power!

Monday, March 3, 2014

2013 National examination results ambiguity

What if form four exam results were judged on the basis of cut off points rather than a pass at D level in two subjects?

For example if all students scoring greater than 40 average points were considered to have scored zero then the students in column DIV IV >40 would get Div Zero. Column % DIV IV > 40?T. DIV IV shows the percentage of students who scored div four but could score zero if the max points for div IV was 40 points. Move over, column % DIV IV > 40/Total shows the percentage of all students from the selected schools who would have scored div zero but have division IV.

The selection of the schools for this analysis was totally random. There was a random click of the school from the list of schools displayed by the national examination council, and for every school that was clicked the number of DIV IV with with average points greater than 40 were counted. Later on a percentage of the students who scored div IV but have average points higher than 40 was calculated for both total div IV scores and Total students in the school.

From the sample of 21 schools under study a total of 21.7% of the students who scored div IV were supposed to score div zero. This means that the percentage of div zero for the studied schools would increase by 8% if the grading was based on average points score rather than a D score in two subjects.

School name DIV I DIV II DIV III DIV IV DIV 0 Total DIV IV >40 % DIV IV >40/T.DIV IV % Div IV >40/Total
Manyunyu  3 15 38 36 10 102 6 16.66666667 5.882352941
Sangu 17 66 118 140 6 347 8 5.714285714 2.305475504
Shabani Robert 32 47 63 19 0 161 0 0 0
Goima  0 0 2 11 25 38 1 9.090909091 2.631578947
Bujela  0 4 7 20 32 63 6 30 9.523809524
Pasiansi  0 17 19 37 25 98 8 21.62162162 8.163265306
Ipogolo  1 6 8 53 6 74 22 41.50943396 29.72972973
Ilunga  1 4 13 72 79 169 27 37.5 15.97633136
Ndorwe  0 1 20 40 56 117 9 22.5 7.692307692
Nachunyu  0 1 0 17 34 52 7 41.17647059 13.46153846
Lulembela  1 4 5 15 8 33 3 20 9.090909091
Sale  1 6 16 36 30 89 8 22.22222222 8.988764045
Raudha Academy 0 2 11 14 0 27 0 0 0
Chiwata  0 0 2 8 38 48 4 50 8.333333333
Kinampundu 0 0 2 19 7 28 5 26.31578947 17.85714286
Magengati  0 1 5 8 12 26 4 50 15.38461538
Mpunguzi  0 3 9 40 44 96 9 22.5 9.375
Ndoleleji  0 1 3 9 4 17 2 22.22222222 11.76470588
Unyamikumbi  0 0 7 22 20 49 0 0 0
Iwindi  1 2 19 59 47 128 16 27.11864407 12.5
Dahani  0 0 1 15 39 55 5 33.33333333 9.090909091
690 1817 150 21.73913043 8.255365988

What does this imply?
The government has technically reduced the number of zeros by re-grading the students who are practically failures but scored D grades in two subjects. In fact there is no rationale for judging the person with average score of 46 points but with two Ds as better than the one who scored 41 points and missed the two Ds. Logically how can we say a person with 41 point is worse than the one with 46 points. What does this exactly tell us? That a person who can master two subjects at D level and fail the rest is better than the one who has an average of E in all subjects? According to NECTA anybody scoring an E is regarded as failed? Then what is the rationale of having E and F? Why cant we consider any grade below 29 is a failure?





2 comments:

Unknown said...

safi sana mtaalam....tumekupata ila ujue hii ndiyo Tz yenyewe.........upo hapo????

Anonymous said...

The paper-pencil measure fails to accommodate other aspect of learning of a particular learner. I believe that in learning, there is no absolute zero. Hivi zero ina maanisha mototo hakupata chochote shuleni?