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The Primary Education Evaluation Systems in Mali and China Must Be Compared in Order to Determine the Best Strategy to Employ

Received: 7 May 2023     Accepted: 25 May 2023     Published: 5 June 2023
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Abstract

Primary education should include assessment systems because they provide information about student achievement and indicate areas for development. Different primary education assessment systems are used in Mali and China. Mali attaches great importance to teacher evaluation, while China attaches great importance to standardized tests. This study compares and contrasts primary school assessment systems in Mali and China. It identifies their advantages and disadvantages and makes suggestions for improvement for each country. According to research, both methods have their major disadvantages as well as their advantages. While China's test-based approach may discourage creativity and critical thinking, Mali's teacher-led approach can lead to subjective and biased judgments. The study suggests that China should use more accurate assessment techniques to combat its reliance on final exams. In addition, Mali should adopt a more structured approach to teacher assessment, combining standardized tests and independent assessment. Mali has largely relied on end-of-year tests to assess pupils' knowledge and skills. However, this system has been criticized for its reliance on rote memorization and lack of emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving ability. China, on the other hand, has adopted a complete evaluation system that integrates formative and summative evaluations, such as classroom observations, continuous assessments, and national tests. This approach seeks to assess not just students' academic achievements but also their personal traits, social abilities, and moral development. Based on the comparative research, it is suggested that Mali implement a hybrid evaluation system modelled after China's. This would entail adding more formative assessment approaches, such as continuous assessment, teacher observations, and project-based evaluations, throughout the academic year. Mali can better respond to its students' different learning requirements and support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills by adopting a more holistic approach. Furthermore, incorporating qualitative evaluation methodologies can provide a more complete knowledge of kids' entire development, including social and emotional well-being. Finally, this study emphasizes the significance of taking context into account while developing primary school evaluation systems. By learning from China's successful method, Mali may improve its primary school evaluation system to meet the changing demands of its pupils and nurture well-rounded persons ready for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Published in Education Journal (Volume 12, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13
Page(s) 99-102
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Educational Assessment, Mali, China, National College Entrance Examination (NCEE)

References
[1] Maiga, A. S., Teme, B., Coulibaly, B. S., Diarra, L., Kergna, A. O., Tigana, A., & Winpenny, J. (1995). Structural Adjustment and Sustainable Development in Mali. Overseas Development Institute. https://www.cbd.int/financial/fiscalenviron/mali-structural.pdf
[2] Pearce, C., Fourmy, S., & Kovach, H. (2009). Delivering Education for All in Mali, Oxfam International. https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/delivering-education-for-all-mali-report-07-06-09_4.pdf
[3] Schultz, T. (1987). Education Investment and Return in Economic Development. Yale University. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/160451/1/cdp528.pdf
[4] Thunnissen, K. (2009). Sector Budget Support in Practice: Case Study Education Sector in Mali (p. 6). Overseas Development Institute. https://cdn.odi.org/media/documents/5806.pdf
[5] Turner, F., Tylor, G., & Outhread (2019, April). GPE 2020 Country-Level Prospective Evaluations. https://www.globalpartnership.org/sites/default/files/document/file/2020-04-country-level-prospective-evaluations-mali.pdf
[6] UNICEF (2020). Harnessing Children’s Potential through Quality Education for Every Child. https://www.unicef.org/mali/en/education
[7] World Bank (2019a). Mali Education Quality for Improved Learning Project Information Document (PID) (p. 8). https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/159371551363122855/pdf/Concept-Project-Information-Document-PID-Mali-Education-Quality-for-Improved-Learning-Project-P168786.pdf
[8] World Bank (2021). Children Out of School (% of Primary School Age). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.UNER.ZS
[9] "Regional overview: sub-Saharan Africa" (PDF). unesco. org. 2008. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
[10] Bakaye Poudiougo, Sunil Kumar Saroha. Moral Education and the Condition of Africa. Humanities and Social Sciences. Vol. 8, No. 5, 2020, pp. 149-153. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20200805.13.
[11] GOITA Yacouba. “The comparative research on Mali education system and China education system.” IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 25 (10), 2020, pp. 46-49.
[12] World Bank. (2021). International Development Association Project Appraisal Document: Mali Improving Education Quality and Results for All Project. World Bank Group. http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/853911612478680222/pdf/Mali-Improving-Education-Quality-and-Results-for-All-Project.pdf
[13] Dr Petra Lietz is a Principal Research Fellow in ACER's Australian Surveys research program. https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/improving-student-learning-in-mali
[14] Sally Robertson is a Senior Research Fellow in the Education Policy and Practice division at ACER. Maurice Walker is the Research Director in the Education Policy and Practice division at ACER. https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/building-capacity-in-africa-to-monitor-learning-outcomes
[15] Dr Pina Tarricone is a Principal Research Fellow in ACER's Education Policy and Practice research program. Dr Ian Teo is a Research Fellow in ACER's Education Policy and Practice research program. https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/a-new-policy-tool-to-help-build-resilient-education-systems
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    Yacouba Goita, Abdramane Kone. (2023). The Primary Education Evaluation Systems in Mali and China Must Be Compared in Order to Determine the Best Strategy to Employ. Education Journal, 12(3), 99-102. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13

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    Yacouba Goita; Abdramane Kone. The Primary Education Evaluation Systems in Mali and China Must Be Compared in Order to Determine the Best Strategy to Employ. Educ. J. 2023, 12(3), 99-102. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13

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    AMA Style

    Yacouba Goita, Abdramane Kone. The Primary Education Evaluation Systems in Mali and China Must Be Compared in Order to Determine the Best Strategy to Employ. Educ J. 2023;12(3):99-102. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13,
      author = {Yacouba Goita and Abdramane Kone},
      title = {The Primary Education Evaluation Systems in Mali and China Must Be Compared in Order to Determine the Best Strategy to Employ},
      journal = {Education Journal},
      volume = {12},
      number = {3},
      pages = {99-102},
      doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20231203.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20231203.13},
      abstract = {Primary education should include assessment systems because they provide information about student achievement and indicate areas for development. Different primary education assessment systems are used in Mali and China. Mali attaches great importance to teacher evaluation, while China attaches great importance to standardized tests. This study compares and contrasts primary school assessment systems in Mali and China. It identifies their advantages and disadvantages and makes suggestions for improvement for each country. According to research, both methods have their major disadvantages as well as their advantages. While China's test-based approach may discourage creativity and critical thinking, Mali's teacher-led approach can lead to subjective and biased judgments. The study suggests that China should use more accurate assessment techniques to combat its reliance on final exams. In addition, Mali should adopt a more structured approach to teacher assessment, combining standardized tests and independent assessment. Mali has largely relied on end-of-year tests to assess pupils' knowledge and skills. However, this system has been criticized for its reliance on rote memorization and lack of emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving ability. China, on the other hand, has adopted a complete evaluation system that integrates formative and summative evaluations, such as classroom observations, continuous assessments, and national tests. This approach seeks to assess not just students' academic achievements but also their personal traits, social abilities, and moral development. Based on the comparative research, it is suggested that Mali implement a hybrid evaluation system modelled after China's. This would entail adding more formative assessment approaches, such as continuous assessment, teacher observations, and project-based evaluations, throughout the academic year. Mali can better respond to its students' different learning requirements and support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills by adopting a more holistic approach. Furthermore, incorporating qualitative evaluation methodologies can provide a more complete knowledge of kids' entire development, including social and emotional well-being. Finally, this study emphasizes the significance of taking context into account while developing primary school evaluation systems. By learning from China's successful method, Mali may improve its primary school evaluation system to meet the changing demands of its pupils and nurture well-rounded persons ready for the challenges of the twenty-first century.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Faculty of Human Science and Education Science, University of Letter, and Humanities Science of Bamako, Bamako, Mali

  • Faculty of Human Science and Education Science, University of Letter, and Humanities Science of Bamako, Bamako, Mali

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