TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS THE PRACTICE OF COMPETENCY BASED ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING IN OROMIA COLLEGES: IN PARTICULAR TO SHAMBU, NAKAMTE AND D/DOLLO CTE

This study investigated teachers’perceptions towards the practice of competencybased assessment for learning in Shambu,Nakamte and D/Dollo College of TeachersEducation in Oromia Region to realize theirperceptions. Therefore, descriptive design wasused. A close-ended and open-ended questionnaireitems with five point Likert scale wasadministered to thirty two trainers. In addition, tosubstantiate the data obtained throughquestionnaires, interviews with 4 experiencedinstructors were also held. The quantitative datawas analyzed to determine the status ofinstructors’ perception towards the practice ofCBAFL. The qualitative data which was collectedusing interview was described qualitatively usingnarrative analysis. Results of the study revealedthat instructors’ have unfavorable perceptiontowards the practice of AFL. They perceived thatthe practice of CBAFL in the faculty was more oftheoretical and most of them assumed thatstudents need further practical training toperform to the standard in the actual jobsituations. Regarding the factors that affect thepractice of assessment, almost all the participantsbelieve the following are main factors: A heavyinfluence of the earlier approach to methods ofteaching and assessment (behaviorist) which isusually practiced by instructors; instructors givemore attention to grading instead of enablingtrainees to be competent through carefulengagement of practical assessment tools; inaddition the participants of the study also enlistedthe following as main factors: trainees are notresponsible for their own learning; they givepriority to passing exams rather than developingcompetence; lack of clarity on competence-basedassessment among trainee and instructors. Largenumbers of respondents held the view that thepractice of CBAFL was not in line with future jobrequirements of the graduates.