ASSESSMENT OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS' COMPETENCE ON CONSTRUCTION OF TEACHER-MADE ACHIEVEMENT TEST FOR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN FCT, ABUJA – NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper assessed Mathematics teachers' competence in the construction of teacher-made achievement tests for senior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria. Teacher-made tests remain the most frequently used tool for measuring student achievement in Nigerian classrooms, yet several studies suggest that many of these tests lack the clarity, validity, and reliability required for sound educational decision-making. Anchored on Shulman's Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) theory, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The population comprised 55,461 Mathematics teachers (28,730 male and 26,731 female) drawn from 794 senior secondary schools in FCT, Abuja. A sample of 30 Mathematics teachers (18 male, 12 female) was drawn using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using the Mathematics Teachers' Test Construction Competency Questionnaire (MATTECCQ), a 40-item, five-point Likert-type instrument covering eight competency domains: determining the purpose of testing, developing a table of specification, selecting item formats, preparing test items, developing a marking guide, conducting item analysis, administering the test, and reviewing the test. The instrument was face- and content-validated by experts (validation index of 0.74) and had a Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.76. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation, with a criterion mean of 3.00 used to judge competence. Findings revealed that Mathematics teachers in FCT, Abuja demonstrated an overall high level of competence (grand mean = 4.15) across all eight domains, with the strongest competence recorded in reviewing/appraising the test (mean = 4.37) and the relatively weakest, though still competent, performance recorded in conducting item analysis (mean = 3.88). The study concluded that Mathematics teachers in FCT possess appreciable competence in teacher-made test construction, although technical skills such as item analysis require reinforcement. It was recommended, among others, that the Secondary Education Board should organise regular workshops on item analysis and test technical skills for Mathematics teachers.