The Researcher’s Journal (TRJ) Vol 5, Issue No.1,
pp 1 – 17; June, 2023
Predictive Validity of Continuous Assessment Grades and Students’
Performance in Mathematics of Junior Secondary Certificate
Examination in Cross River State, Nigeria
1Effiom, Anthony P., Obogo, 1Godwin O., 2Igajah, Mayen N. &
2Umoh, Margaret S.
1Department of Educational Foundations, University of Calabar, Nigeria
anthonyeffiom67@gmail.com; +234 806 612 8281,https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9114-4191
adaafugodee@gmail.com,+2348029530591;https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8077-5726
2Department of Library & Information Science, University of Calabar, Nigeria
mayenigajah00@gmail.com,+2348063923144,https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9919-2883
Margeeumoh1900@mail.com,+2348057149886,https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4048-060X
Corresponding author: Effiom, Anthony Pius., Department of Educational Foundations,
University of Calabar, Nigeria; anthonyeffiom67@gmail.com; +234 806 612 8281,
The study investigated the predictive validity of Continuous Assessment grades and students’ performance in Mathematics of Junior Secondary Certificate Examination in Cross River State. Ex-post facto research design and stratified sampling technique was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of JSS3 students from 253 public schools in the State. Three academic sessions of 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 were considered in the study of which the following samples: 397, 398 and 396 were drawn respectively. The data was collected through two inventory methods namely: Continuous Assessment Grades in Mathematics (CAGM) and the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination Grades in Mathematics (JSCEGM). The analysis was carried out using correlation coefficient and regression analysis with the aid of statistical package for social science. Three research questions on correlation between CA and JSCE were raised and three hypotheses were formulated respectively and tested at the 5% level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was weak linear relationship between grades obtained in CA and JSCE performance in Mathematics for 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions. The study recommended that CA scores should not be inflated by schools in order to serve the purpose of predicting the performance of students in public examinations. More so, schools should adopt Item Response Theory and its application to reduce inaccuracy of measurement or lack of objectivity resulting in assessing the students’ true ability. The Government should ensure that incompetence in the operation of CA by teachers should be checked through training, and should encourage uniformity and standardization in administering CA across secondary schools in the State.
Keywords: Continuous Assessment, Measurement Error, Predictive Validity, Item Response Theory, Junior Secondary Certificate Examination.