Multiple Regression Analysis of Assessment of Academic Performance of Students in the Ghanaian Polytechnics

Abstract

One of the challenges of the educational reform introduced in 1987 was the introduction of continuous assessment as a component of students’ final assessment in educational institution. Problems of comparability arise in situations where examinations are conducted by the individual schools. The issue of who takes the overall responsibility of assessing the work of students- the teacher or any accredited examining body- has, in fact, received more attention than any other matters of relevance in education worldwide.

The objective of this study was therefore to find out whether administrative and technical problems existed in the assessment and certification of students in the Ghanaian Polytechnics and to find out the causes and the extent to which such factors brought about weaknesses in the conduct of continuous assessment and final examination.

The population for the study was Polytechnics in Ghana, and a convenient sample of five polytechnics was used for the study. Multiple Regression Analysis of the results indicated that the assessment of students’ academic performance was conducted using a variety of available instruments and methods, and these instruments and methods varied from polytechnic to polytechnic.

Keywords: continuous assessment, final examination, student learning, weighting, academic performance.