Improving Students’ Achievements in Primary Schools in Saudi Arabia

SECTION 1:

Introduction

Primary education is one of the most important foundations for development of a citizen as well as a nation. Primary education shapes a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth; the life skills learned at a critical time enables a child to achieve success throughout the life (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). In recent decades, conforming to the idea that ‘every child has the right to education’, most developing countries have introduced free and compulsory education. Saudi Arabian education system has also achieved significant success in primary school enrollment and retention that has also made significant contribution in increasing the literacy rate (Barber et al., 2007; Maroun et al., 2008).

However, there is a wide debate among educators and policy makers over an optimal assessment system for primary education that would enhance students’ learning outcomes and meet national objectives related to primary education (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). While summative assessment is administered at the end of a term/study period, a continuous/formative assessment involves the application of an on-going process of evaluation (Gardner, 2006; Harlen, 2005; Nitko & Brookhart, 2011). Until the end of the last century, as Al-Sadan (2000) reports, in Saudi Arabian primary schools only 30% of the total mark in a subject was allocated for continuous assessment during the term (e.g. periodic tests).

In the new millennium, following the models adopted by Singapore and South Korea, Saudi Arabia has reformed the education system to improve quality in all levels (Akkari, 2004; Barber et al., 2007; Maroun et al., 2008; Yamini, 2006). Accordingly, continuous assessment practices have been widely adopted by the Saudi education system to raise the quality of education. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia has not been able to achieve the targeted improvement in education, although the country has made huge investment in education (Akkari, 2004; Krieger, 2007; Maroun et al., 2008).

Aim of the study

The study aims to find the exemplary practices in continuous assessment which could be evaluated in order to investigate their possible influence on improving students’ learning achievements in Primary schools in Saudi Arabia. This will involve investigation and understanding of the current theory on assessment, and examining the policies and practices in terms of what is theorised about the influence of assessment on learning. The research will examine the policy framework, current practices, and the existing implementation mechanisms in Queensland, Australia. Steps being taken by the government to achieve their goals will also be analyzed. The difficulties and the constraints will be examined to understand problems and other issues which are more universal in nature.  

The Problem underlying the Study

Quality education is a major contributor to a country’s economic growth and a vital component for general human index. The proposed research is based on the proposition that despite comparatively high levels of expenditure on education in Saudi Arabia, the investment has not translated into the desired outcomes (Maroun et al. 2008). This is highlighted by the low ranking of Saudi Arabia in Education For All Development Index (UNESCO, 2012). Hence, there is a need to explore possible methods to improve the quality of education. While improving the quality of education will obviously require a multi-pronged approach, this study focuses on one aspect of the education system, namely, continuous assessment at the primary level. Assessment is an integral and essential component of effective learning and teaching, and the information received helps in better educational decision-making. Improvements in the quality of assessment information can enhance the effectiveness of the decisions made by teachers and learners, resulting in better learning and better educational outcomes (Masters, 2013). Further, primary level is the foundation which shapes the future development of the child (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). Thus, it is important to understand the theories related to assessment and the current exemplary practices in continuous assessment. This requires a detailed study, which is being attempted through the current paper.

Research questions

1. What are the goals, policies and implementation plans of Queensland (Australia) to improve the assessment system in primary schools?
2. What are the exemplary practices related to assessment systems in primary schools in Queensland, Australia?
3. What are the salient features of the assessment system at primary level in Saudi Arabia? For this, a review and analysis of their policy in terms of what is known about effective assessment will be undertaken.
4. What models of exemplary practices in continuous assessment could be applied in Saudi Arabia to improve students’ learning achievements in Primary schools?

The background

The General education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consists of kindergarten, six years of primary school and three years each of intermediate and high school. The Ministry of Education sets overall standards for the country’s educational system. The Kingdom’s ratio of 15 students to every teacher is one of the lowest in the world. The educational standards are being improved by raising the quality of teacher training programs, improving standards for evaluation of students and increasing the use of educational technology. One of the strategic goals is development of student assessment methods in a way that assures achievement of instructional objectives and taking part in the development of rules for student assessment. Improving & upgrading the curriculum and upgrading the education system is one of the priorities. The policy areas include enrolling all Saudi children of primary school-going age and implementing educational and training programs for Teachers. The vision is to create an effective and practical system of education which is capable of discovering the potentials and predispositions and create the spirit of action (MOE, 2011). Public spending on education in Saudi Arabia is significant (5.7 percent of GDP) which is higher compared to countries like UK & Germany (USABC, 2010). Over 25 per cent of the $35.5 billion budget was allocated to Education and Manpower Development (Al Sadaawi, 2010). The number of Primary education pupils in Saudi Arabia in 2010 was around 3.32 million out of which around 48.7% were females. In 2007, expenditure per student on primary education was 19.2% of the per capita GDP. In 2008, the primary completion rate was 96.5% (World Bank, 2013).

Interestingly, as stated by Al Sadaawi (2010), despite the amount of resources being spent, the number of schools & facilities is inadequate to meet the numbers of school-age children. Saudi Arabia has a substantial school system, with over 30,000 schools educating 5 million students. The focus so far has resulted in quantitative expansion of the education system. However, there is no national assessment system to provide statistical evidence on students’ learning outcomes. The government is developing a plan for national assessment. Priority areas for national assessment include curricula analysis, assessment design and approval, determining assessment structures relative to schools, teachers, and activities/questionnaires for students, developing assessment kits, and producing appropriate and sufficient materials such as teacher training sets, questionnaires, and activity materials, and dissemination, application, and collection of assessment materials. The national assessment framework for primary schools includes setting the purpose, identifying the subjects, determining grades, establishing standards, constructing instruments, sampling, review process, administration, and analysis and reporting. 

As evident from above, Saudi Arabia spends a significant amount of money on education, and recently the focus on quality of education has increased. For this, a national assessment plan has been made which is likely to help the country in the long run. Good quality assessment in primary schools is crucial to improve the student achievement in Saudi Arabia.

Research method

For conducting the research, data is being collected mainly from the official websites of the Ministry of Education (Saudi Arabia), Queensland (Australia), and the World Bank/ UNESCO etc. Various other sources, including research conducted by other scholars is being referred. First, the definitions, types of assessment and the nuances of different types of the assessment are being examined. For this, books, literature, articles and policy documents are being studied. The suitability and preference of continuous assessment for improving the education system is being examined. Then required data related to the current status of the education systems is being obtained. Also, research papers on the education system of Saudi Arabia and Australia (especially Queensland) and the policy documents related to government’s goals and implementation plans are being studied. The study so far has helped in improving the understanding about the challenges being faced by the educationists and the governments in implementing the CA system.

Further discourse analysis will involve examining some school’s practices regarding using continuous assessment system in Queensland. This will help understand the methods being used to assess the students at the primary level. The forms and the criteria for CA and the other systems (e.g. summative assessment) being used will also be examined. This will help understand the effectiveness of the assessment system.  Ultimately, it will help discover the exemplary practices and some alternative methods to improve the education system, especially at the primary level. Some of these practices will be suggested for improving the student’s achievements at primary level in Saudi Arabia.

Significance of the study

For improving the student achievement at primary level in Saudi Arabia, it is imperative to improve the assessment methods being practiced. To improve the quality of assessment, it is important to understand the current theory about assessment, the objectives set by governments to improve assessment systems for better student achievement, and their plans / implementation mechanism. It is also important to discuss the constraints being faced or expected to be faced by the implementing agencies. It is also important to understand the exemplary practices in schools and the methods being employed in more experienced and successful systems like Australia. This will help all to discover methods to overcome the difficulties and achieve the goal of a higher student achievement at primary level in Saudi Arabia. To date, a holistic study on the issue has not been conducted.

Limitations and delimitations

Limitations

As mentioned above, till date no comprehensive study has been conducted on the matter. Further, the official websites of the Saudi Arabia and the other countries do not give detailed data and information about the education system, especially the status of continuous assessment. So data / information has been obtained from other sources. Some of the data is from a single source, and could not be verified for accuracy. Some of the studies which have been referenced are old, and hence some element of judgment has been exercised to assess its applicability to the current environment. Also, there may be some areas for which it is not possible to obtain data on the internet. Time and funding constraints limit the ability to obtain the data by either visiting the site, or getting information by writing to the concerned bodies / Ministry.