The upcoming 30th Conference for Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) is likely to help Botswana to examine where the weakness really is within the education system following the declining performance rates.
Botswana is hosting the 30th AEAA annual conference under the auspices of the Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) from Monday (tomorrow) to 10th August 2012. AEAA holds annual research conferences that serve as a platform for the exchange of innovative ideas on examinations and assessment issues.
“The declining pass rates are a regional concern and we hope this conference will help determine and review the quality of learning going on and set standards to improve the pass rates in the region,” said Dr Moreetsi Thobega, the Director of Research and Policy Development at BEC. “We are expecting experts during the conference to come up with tactical solutions to improve education system.”
There have been a lot of questions and speculations surrounding the pass rate decline that need to be addressed urgently. Batswana have raised alarm over this drop in the pass rate and accuse the BEC but results reflect the quality of teaching in schools.
He said the conference will help review what the world expects, to map the way forward in bettering the declining pass rate. Thobega said this is a grant opportunity for Botswana to benchmark on its challenges, with experts from across Africa, USA and UK. He emphasized that, examinations are critical and sensitive hence they go through a robust system to ensure accuracy.
The conference will run under the banner ‘Reforms in education assessment for regional development’. The theme has been articulated in recognition of the critical role transformative education plays in national development.
In addition he said the conference is a step towards realizing Botswana’s dream of becoming an education hub. During his visit early this year, the AEAA president, Paul Wasanga, said this is a grand opportunity for Botswana for this does not come very often. He said through interaction with world education gurus, Botswana could realize a turnaround in the collapsing education system.
Targeted participants of the conference are educational assessment practitioners, academics and scholars from Africa and the world at large. The annual research conferences serve as platforms for exchange of innovative ideas on examinations and assessment issues.
