The impact of Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) implementation on the performance of B40 pre-school and primary school students

Norazilawati Abdullah

Abstract

Classroom-based assessment (CBA) is applied in the education system in Malaysia. It substitutes the public examination system at primary school level and holistically gives prominence to summative and formative assessment. This case study examined the intended objectives of CBA in relation to its actual impact on bottom 40 (B40) income group pre-school and primary school students, identifying the effectiveness and challenges of CBA implementation and highlighting the barriers that hinder its success in achieving educational goals. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants selected from a quota sample to gather data. The interview findings were analyzed to form themes and were confirmed by experts through a Cohen Kappa index of 0.803. The findings regarding the effectiveness of CBA showed that CBA is a holistic assessment for B40 students, especially students who are weak in learning, as it encompasses a comprehensive learning and continuous assessment. CBA is also beneficial for B40 students as they are given the opportunity to achieve the desired mastery level; thus, the gap between B40 students and non-B40 students can be minimized. In addition, this study also highlighted the achievement of B40 students through their mastery of subjects at school. Challenges in the implementation of CBA for B40 pre-school and primary school students encompass three aspects, namely challenges in knowledge, achievement, and implementation. This study explored critical discussion and understanding to improve the learning system and further realized the benefits of implementing CBA, especially for B40 pre-school and primary school students. ©Authors.

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