Abstract:
Assessment is an important aspect of teaching - learning process in secondary schools.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) biology practical assessment
approach introduced in the year 2005 is one in which out of the three questions tested,
only one question, mostly food tests involve handling apparatus and specimens by the
candidates. In the other two questions, the candidates observe photographs and
photomicrographs presented and then answer questions. The approach was adopted with
an aim of reducing the problems of cheating in biology practical examinations. However,
its effectiveness in the assessment of Science Process Skills had not been ascertained. The
purpose of this study was to establish the perceptions of teachers’ on the effectiveness of
the assessment approach in testing science process skills. Descriptive survey research
design was used in this study. The target population comprised all trained secondary
school biology teachers in Siaya. Accessible population were a total of 108 secondary
school biology teachers in Siaya County. Proportionate stratified sampling and simple
random sampling were used to select the subjects of the study. Proportional stratified
sampling was used to ensure the study sample were derived from all the six sub-counties
that constitute Siaya County, while simple random sampling was used to obtain study
sample from each sub-county. A total of 90 teachers formed the study sample. Biology
Practical Teachers’ Questionnaire (BPTQ) was used to generate data from the
respondents. Five research experts from the Faculty of Education and Community
Studies, Egerton University, validated the instrument. The reliability of the instrument
was estimated using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. Pilot-testing was conducted in the
neighbouring Kisumu sub-county, Kisumu County. Reliability coefficient for the
questionnaire was 0.85. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics which
were frequencies, means and percentages. The findings of this study indicated that, from
teachers’ perceptions, the assessment of science process skills is ineffective in the KCSE
Biology Practical Assessment Approach. It was concluded that in the perceptions of
teachers, the KCSE Biology Practical Assessment Approach has not contributed much to
the testing of science process skills in Biology practical Examinations. It was therefore
recommended that a lot of hands-on activities, manipulation of specimens and handling of
apparatus be reinforced in the testing of biology practical skills. The findings of this study
are important in improving the testing of Biology practical paper by KNEC and teaching
laboratory lessons by Biology teachers.
