EVALUATING THE ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT IN FOSTERING DEMOCRATIC VALUES FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BAYELSA STATE

This study examined educational assessment as a determinant of democratic value orientation for national development among students in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, with a population comprising teachers and students in public secondary schools. A sample of 420 respondents was selected using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Educational Assessment and Democratic Values Questionnaire (EADVQ). The instrument was validated by experts in measurement and evaluation, curriculum studies, and civic education, while reliability testing yielded a satisfactory Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.82. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that educational assessment practices have a moderate positive influence on students democratic value orientation, particularly in promoting fairness, accountability, critical thinking, respect for rules, and responsible conduct. However, the influence was less pronounced in fostering participatory values such as inclusiveness, collaboration, peer deliberation, and active civic engagement. The study also found that inconsistencies in assessment methods, overemphasis on summative evaluation, limited use of formative feedback, inadequate teacher training, and weak alignment between assessment tasks and civic learning outcomes significantly affect the promotion of democratic values. The study concluded that while educational assessment plays a vital role in fostering democratic values necessary for national development, its effectiveness is limited by traditional assessment practices and implementation challenges. It recommended that schools adopt learner-centered and participatory assessment strategies and that educational authorities provide sustained teacher training, assessment resources, and monitoring frameworks that support democratic value orientation.