Criterion-Referenced Formative Evaluation: A Necessary Option For Nigerian Secondary Schools:- Charles N. Agbaegbu

Abstract

This -work is aimed at establishing the appropriateness of criterion referenced formative evaluations in Nigeria Secondary Schools. The curricular was examined and the outcome showed that they are heavily loaded with performance objectives. Such curricular flooded with objectives are said to be “objectives-based”. In objective-based programmes, it is in appropriate to compare a student's achievement in a test with achievements ofhis classmates duringformative evaluation. This is norm-referenced evaluation. Indeed, the appropriate thing in this situation is to determine whether each student has mastered or not mastered the objectives tested. Since the Nigerian Secondary School curricular are objectives-based, this paper concludes that the normreferencedformative evaluation which is in use should be replaced with criterion-referencedformative evaluation.