In 2008, the Region-wide Assessment for Math, Science and English (RAMSE) was conducted in 16 pilot madaris across Regions XII and ARMM to a total of 328 Grade 4 pupils, representing the total grade 4 enrollees for SY 2007-2008.
Recommendations from the Report
The RAMSE result is analysed according to overall performance[1], difficulty level and baseline performance compared with the regular school cohorts; performance by item types, across grade levels and learning strands; performance according to system indicators such as sex, preschool attendance, entrance age, breakfast, absences, homework, language shifting, parents’ educational attainment and motivation; and performance by school (list of top 5 schools).
This paper was developed by Anwar Ito and attempts to provide a link between academic performance of pupils and the kind of capacity building needed to improve the quality of teaching and learning as well as the management capacity of madrasah managers and overall supervisory function of the Bureau of Madaris Education.
- Performance by Item Types - Of the three item types included in the test, Madrasah pupils perform better in Multiple Choice (MC) compared with Closed Constructed (CC) and Open-Ended (OE) types as reflected in the figure below.
- Performance across Grade Levels – Grade level competence range from 31.67% for Grade 4 competence to 43% for Grade 1 competence.
- Performance by Learning Strands – Across the learning strands for every subject, Madrasah has low mastery. In Math, they found it most difficult to interpret graphs and tables (22%); in Science, the solar system (16%) is the most difficult.
- Thinking Skills –Across the core subjects, Madrasah pupils have demonstrated insufficient thinking skills. They find it most difficult to reflect (13%) on English lesson, using concepts in Math (22%) and analysing science items (21%).
Overall performance. The overall academic performance of pupils in the private madaris is below mastery level. Madrasah pupils have more difficulty in Math, Science and English compared with their regular school cohorts. Science items are most difficult for them. However, on the baseline performance based on anchored items, madrasah pupils performance is 7 mean point average (MPS) higher compared with regular schools performance in 2004.
Another feature of the RAMSE is the connection between academic performance and so-called system indicators or socio-economic variables acting on the pupil performance.
· According to sex - There is slightly more boys (51%) than girls (49%) in the sample. However, girls performed significantly higher in English than boys. Both sexes scored the same in Math and Science.
· Preschool attendance – 78% attended preschool. Those who attended scored significantly higher (37%) than those who did not (32%).
· Entrance age – Those who entered school at 7 yrs old (37%) and 6 yrs old (31%). 7 and 6 yrs old performed higher than other groups (5 and below – 31%, 8 yrs old- 34% and 9 yrs old – 32%).
· Eating breakfast – those who eat their breakfast (5 to 7 x a week) scored higher than those who eat their breakfast less that 5x a week.
· Frequency of Absences - Those who were not absent scored higher than those who are frequently tardy and absent.
· Doing homework - Those who do homework frequently (more times or more) scored higher.
· Teacher shift to vernacular - Most teachers shift. In English, pupils whose teachers sometimes or always shift to the vernacular performed significantly better than other groups.
· Parents’ educational attainment - The higher the educational attainment f parents, the higher the education performance.
· School fees – Most (76%) find it hard to pay school fees. No significant difference.
· Family desire to finish study – 49% wants pupils to finish college. Those with high desire scored higher than those who are content with elementary or high school education.
· Perception upon finishing high school – Majority of the pupils (90%) think they can finish high school. Majority of the pupils (90%) think they can finish high school perform better than those who think otherwise.
This is the first time an academic achievement test of this nature has been administered to DepEd-recognized Madaris. The following year, the National Achievement Test (NAT) was administered in madaris qualified for financial subsidy from DepEd CO. Cross referencing performance will deepen analysis on the academic performance of Madrasah pupils as well as exploration of its implication to teaching-learning continuum.
Implications on Pupils’ Learning Outcomes
- Pupils in the madrasah perform below the average pupils in a regular school hence, need more support;
- Pupils show low mastery of BEC competencies in English, Mathematics, and Science;
- Pupils demonstrate un-readiness to answer non-traditional assessment like open-ended questions;
- Pupils manifest inadequate skills in HOTS, as required by the BEC
- Pre-school education and official entrance age is a good indicator of future performance
- There is no observable inequality as to access and quality of education between gender in the pilot madaris
- Attendance, doing homework, and regular eating of breakfast are important factors to effective learning
- Sometimes or always shifting to the vernacular when teaching can be helpful to learning
- Personal and family motivation to finish a study play an important role in the student performance.
Implication on Teacher Preparedness
- Advantage when distance of school to teacher’s residence is 1 km and below;
- Performed better when teachers teach the subject according to their field of specialization;
- Constant consultation/communication with parents helped increase performance;
- Scored higher when teacher have less (5-6) teaching loads and use of problem solving and investigatory projects as teaching strategy in Science and constructing shapes as a teaching strategy in Math helped increase performance
- Attendance and/or participation to BEAM in-service trainings and use of materials such as learning guides, manuals, modules, etc. helps in improving student performance
- Effective and efficient monitoring and evaluation.
- Develop and implement learning activities that prepare learners to answer HOTS questions.
- Train teachers on non-traditional assessment strategies such as developing HOTS questions.
- Encourage teachers to shift to the vernacular especially when translating difficult terms.
- Enhance the application of constructivism through concretization of concepts when teaching Math, English, and Science.
- Strengthen the use of graphs and tables, illustrations, and constructing shapes as stimuli to understanding problem solving.
- Provide a more purposeful homework daily.
- Train, encourage, and support teachers in using the learning guides and other interventions consistent with the ends of the BEC.
- Improve tests which will carefully consider the ability of the learners based on the BEC competencies.
- Encourage teachers to go further studies in their field of specialization to upgrade their competence.
- Motivate parents to send their children to school at the age of six upon entering Grade 1.
- Encourage parents to send their children to the nearest schools.
- Encourage teachers to reside nearer to the school assignment.
- Strengthen the relationship between and among the parents, teachers, learners, and the communities.
- Optimize teaching load which will ensure quality instruction.
- Establish a strong linkage with NGOs and GOs, most specifically LGUs.
[1] The mastery level is viewed as follows: 75% and higher – mastery level, 50 to 74.9% - near mastery level, 25 to 49.9% - low mastery level and 24% and lower –zero mastery level.
