ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION ON ECONOMICS STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examinesd the Impact of Continuous Assessment (CA) on Economics students’ academic performancein Kaduna State, Nigeria. It provides a conceptual overview of continuous assessment of Economics students’academic performance within the study area. The instrument for data collection was the Economics ContinuousAssessment Performance Test (ECAPT). The study population comprised 125 economics students drawn fromintact classes within the study area. A quasi-experimental research design was employed, involving two groups:experimental and control. The objectives of the study were to: (i) examine the difference between pre-test andpost-test performance of Economics Students taught with continuous assessment test in Senior Secondary Schoolsin Kaduna State, Nigeria; and (ii) determine the difference between pre-test and post-test performances ofEconomics students taught using continuous assessment test and those taught without using continuousassessment test in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. These objectives were aligned with theresearch questions and hypotheses formulated for the study. Findings revealed that continuous assessment test haspotentials to significantly enhance the academic performance of Economics at the senior secondary school levelin Kaduna State, Nigeria. Nevertheless, the effective use of continuous assessment tests requires deliberate effortsto address identified challenges and limitations. The study emphasises that while continuous assessment can enrichinstructional delivery and foster improved learning outcomes, teachers’ evaluation and pedagogical expertiseremain indispensable. Continuous assessment tests should therefore be utilised to complement, rather thansupplant, the essence of evaluation. Based on these findings, the study recommends, among other measures, thedevelopment of training programs to build teachers’ capacity for new trends in school continuous assessment asone of the evaluation tools, especially in the use of teacher-made tests, increased investment in instructionalmaterials support to facilitate new trends in continuous assessment evaluation in schools, and strengthenedcollaboration among educators and their learners’ academic performance. Furthermore, the study underscores theneed for continuous curriculum review (in the use of teacher-made-test and other forms of tests) and revision toensure that Economics education remains relevant, foster skills acquisition.