Evaluating the Implementation of Quality Principles in Competence-Based Assessment at Private TVET Colleges: Perspectives, Differences, Influencing Factors, and Impacts on Student Competence

Abstract

This study evaluates the implementation of quality principles in CBA at private TVET colleges in the Amhara Regional State. It employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, incorporating questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. A questionnaire was distributed to 873 students and 189 teachers and assessors, including 47 items on a five-point Likert scale. Interviews involved 5 teachers, 4 assessors, 5 students, 2 deans, and 1 assessment center coordinator. The analysis included descriptive statistics such as proportions, means, and standard deviations, while inferential analysis utilized one-sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic and content analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of CBA implementation. The findings indicated a significantly low implementation of CBA across all nine quality principles, with no substantial difference in perceptions between teachers and students. This overall low implementation adversely affected the quality of assessment and student competence. Key challenges identified included unethical interference of regulatory bodies and colleges, inadequate assessment literacy, unethical behavior among teachers and assessors, weak educational backgrounds, and dishonest conduct among students. The insufficient implementation of CBA principles in private TVET colleges complicates the relationship between students’ perceptions of implementation and their competence. Consequently, it is essential to provide professional support for educational assessment approaches to regulatory bodies, colleges, assessors, and teachers. Standardizing the assessments of IOCA, NOCA, and ROCA is critical, along with clearly distinguishing the roles of teachers, assessment tool developers, and assessors to enhance assessment quality.