School-based Oral Assessment in Malaysia

[Kuruvilla CK Joseph]

School-based oral assessment in Malaysia was implemented in the year 2002. The aims and objectives of this mode of assessment are nobel and well-intentioned in line with the communicative language teaching approach adopted in Malaysian schools. However, I would like to express my reservations with regards to this new endeavour as it is subjected to abuse by some teachers. They are supposed to carry out these assessments throughout the two years in upper secondary, but sad to say, most of the teachers fill up the evaluation sheets when the Head of the English Language Panel requests for the marks, and surprisingly most of them are able to come up with the marks quite magically, over a very short period of time. This is in spite of the high number of student enrolment in Malaysian public schools. This practice is unfair and unethical. Any idea how this system can be improved?? Especially if teachers in your country or you (as a Malaysian teacher) have done to make this practice a reliable and valid one? Please provide feedback and your opinions on this matter. Thank you.

[param9936]

I seem to agree as what has been said about School Based Oral English.
What alternatves can be used.