National Achievement Test

“Bear in mind that the wonderful things you learn in your school are the work of many generations produced by enthusiastic effort and infinite labor in every country in the world. All this is put into your hand as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honor it, add to it, and one day faithfully hand it to your children. Thus, do we mortals achieve immortality in the permanent things which we can create in common?” – Albert Einstein

It means that education is a vital tool to unfold a better future. However, according to Einstein, what we have today is the fruit of passionate work from the past generations. It is a fact that during the primitive times up to this date, education always makes an outrageous position in the most valued and achieving purpose of the economy. According to Carole Cooper, every mission of the learning society is to have “Quality graduates which by time come they all become a competitive and productive member of the society”. He also added that, “Assessment helps us see the difference between teaching and learning”.

One of the basic judgments of how teaching and learning process differentiate is through National Achievement Test or NAT given to every Grade III, Grade VI, and Second year, both public and private schools. This test is designed to determine students/pupils achievement level, strengths and weaknesses in the five key curricular subject areas (Science, Mathematics, English, Filipino and HeKaSi). Improving the quality and efficiency of education through assessment has a crucial role to play in building a strong nation. The teacher’s attitude towards hisher owns techniques and strategies in teaching truly affect the attitude and performance of the pupils towards assessment.

Looking at the performance of grade VI pupils of Mariveles, Bataan SY 2012-2013 in the National Achievement Test, they obtained 77.70%. While, in the National Achievement Test 2013-2014 of Grade VI pupils, they obtained 81.19%. The result revealed that the District of Mariveles with their respected supervisor, principals, and teachers has a progress of 3.49% (INC) in the National Achievement Test of two consecutive years. Likewise, the performance of Grade VI pupils of Ipag Elementary School SY 2012-2013, they obtained 73.73%. And, out of nineteen Elementary Schools in MAriveles, they were placed in the rank sixteen. In the comparison to this, the performance of Grade VI pupils SY 2013-2014 in the same assessment (NAT), they obtained 86.48%. That leads them to the higher rank which is number four.

Based on the observation and analysis, the Ipag Elementary School accelerated twelve rank from SY 2012-2013 to SY 2013-2014 NAT result. In addition to that, they are the third highest progressive school of Mariveles, SY 2013-2014 in the NAT. The findings show that the Grade VI pupils of Ipag Elementary School have the competency. The percentage score of Mathematics, English, Science, and HeKaSi are all meeting the standard. Moreover, the percentage score of Filipino is classified as superior. All the percentage scores are classified using the Standard Based Distribution of Scores. With these facts, it is proven that development in the field of education was and still possible. The learning capacity of the students or pupils can be determine through the help of assessment. It is one of the instruments used in the systematic measuring and monitoring of the performance of individual pupils, schools, and national education system.

The researchers pursue this study to find out how the Ipag Elementary School makes an improvement on the performance of Grade VI pupils in the National Achievement Test (NAT) from SY 2012-2013 to SY 2013-2014. Indeed, to identify what subject does the Grade IV pupils have difficulty? On the other hand, what subject does the said pupils have great understanding? This research would determine the mastered and least mastered subject of the Grade VI pupils. Also, to provide a comparative review of the development and improvement in the National Achievement Test result of two consecutive years. And, to gain an understanding of how test results are used in the
educational career of individual pupils as well as at school and system levels.

Since the early times, assessment shows the learning capacity of the pupils. It is a judgment if the learners had acquired knowledge and understanding. It can also distinguish the efficiency of the learners at the same time the effectiveness of respective teachers, as well as the matrix used by the principals. According to Robert L. Linn of University of Colorado at National Center of Research, the adjustment for the differences in test is to be applied on evaluation, standards and pupil testing paper.

Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored on three theories which are presented below. In historiography, the Idea of Progress is the theory that advances in technology, science, and social organization can produce an improvement in the human condition. That is, people can become happier in terms of quality of life (social progress) through economic development (modernization), and the application of science and technology (scientific progress). The assumption is that the process will happen once people apply their reason and skills, for it is not divinely foreordained. The role of the expert is to identify hindrances that slow or neutralize progress.

Conceptual Paradigm
Figure I show that the conceptual paradigm adopted in this study. The input variable refers to the result of National Achievement Test (NAT) SY 2012-2013 and SY 2013-2014 which actually enters the system and transformed into expected output.

The input encompasses the performance of Grade VI pupils in the five subject areas of the NAT result for two consecutive years.
The result of the pupil’s performance on the NAT is examined through documentary analysis. Based on the analysis of the performance of the pupils in the National Achievement Test, the desired output is realized which is the improvement of pupils performance in the said assessment.

Figure I
Conceptual Paradigm
Input Process Output

Bottom of Form

Bottom of Form

Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study was confined to the analysis of the performance of Grade VI pupils in the NAT in Ipag Elementary School, District of Mariveles for SY 2012-2013 and SY 2013-2014.
It also aims to determine the strength and weakness of the respondents in the five key curricular subjects of NAT as follows:

1. Science
2. Mathematics
3. English
4. Filipino
5. HeKaSi

Definition of Terms
Analysis

Education
The action or process of educating or of being educated, also a stage of such a process.

Enthusiastic
Filled with or marked by Enthusiasm.

Analysis
A separation of a whole into its component parts.

Assessment
The action or an instance of assessing.

Theory
The analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another.

Consecutive
Following one after another in order.
Paradigm
A philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalization and the experiments performed in a support of them as formulated broadly: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.

National Achievement test
Is a Philippine‐made standardized test designed to determine pupils/students’ achievement level, strengths and weaknesses in five key curricular subject areas at the end of the school year.

Mean Percentage Score
Indicates the ratio between the number of correctly answered items and the total number of test questions or the percentage of correctly answered items in a test, the National Achievement Test. Percentage

The word ‘percent’ means ‘out of 100’ or ‘per 100’. In mathematics, a percentage is a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign, “%”, or the abbreviation “pct.”

School Administrator
These are school authorities who are responsible for the development of academic programs and effective curricula.

Importance of the Study
The improvement in the pupils’ performance regarding the NAT has been the center of many research studies. Assessment is also the focus of many improved teaching methods including techniques and strategies designed and created by different professionals of educational filed. One of the important questions in this area is how to improve the pupils’ performance in the NAT in such a manner that pupils will gain an understanding about the importance of assessment in their lives. Also, to have passion in improving the results as well as the matrix used by the principals and teachers.

However, inspite of the worth of NAT, pupils nowadays consider the assessment as a requirement to move into higher year level. Pupils do not see it as an important part of their curriculum or studies.

To date, various studies had been conducted on the result of NAT but focused mostly on the least mastered subject of the pupils. It has been observed by the researcher that pupils’ poor performance in the assessment has been given enough attention to have a progressive result. Along this line, it is hoped that this study may provide the basis for the improvement of the NAT result besides benefitting the following groups:

1. Division Supervisors
This study may give them the information useful in determining the instructional improvement, revision and on the application of new teaching techniques and strategies in the five key curricular subjects of NAT.

2. School Administrators
This study may serve as a reliable feedback in planning for the improvement of the pupils’ performance in the five key curricular subjects.

3. Teachers
This study may give insight on the needs of the pupils based on the revealed strengths and weaknesses so that they could make the necessary adjustments in their teaching methodologies, approaches, and techniques in teaching the five key curricular subjects of NAT to be more responsive to the capabilities of pupils.

4. Parents
This may give them information about the condition and status of their child in the NAT (National Achievement Test). Through this study they would be informed and they could also help their child to improve their performance on the NAT.

5. Pupils
This study may give them the awareness on what subjects they excel and those that they fail. By the use of these they may know the technique that they can used in order to improve their study habits.