Competency-Based Educational Assessment in Low Resource Settings

Competency-based educational assessment (CBEA) emerges as a powerful approach to measuring learning outcomes based on skills and knowledge. In low-resource settings, where traditional education systems often face challenges like limited infrastructure, teacher shortages, and inadequate learning materials, implementing CBEA offers both opportunities and obstacles. By focusing on learner ability, CBEA promotes equity and efficiency in education, specifically for marginalized populations. Adapting assessment tools, training educators, and ensuring standards in low-resource environments require innovative, contextualized strategies. Further exploration into how competency-based assessments can be designed and applied in low-resource settings may help improve learning outcomes and bridge current educational gaps. Competency-Based Educational Assessment in Low Resource Settings explores the design, implementation, and challenges of CBEA in low-resource settings. It addresses the growing need for equitable and effective assessment systems that align with the unique constraints and opportunities of underfunded educational environments. This book covers topics such as curriculum development, educational resources, and data science, and is a useful resource for educators, sociologists, policymakers, academicians, researchers, and scientists.

Dennis Zami Atibuni (PhD) is an Associate Professor and Head of the Educational Psychology Department at the Faculty of Education, Muni University. He is a Research Associate at Ali Mazrui Centre for Higher Education Studies (AMCHES) at University of Johannesburg – South Africa following his postdoctoral research fellowship (PDRF) under the mentorship of Professor Michael Cross (RIP) and Professor Emnet Tadesse Woldergiorgis at the same centre. At Busitema University Faculty of Science and Education, he served as the chairperson of the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee, Head of Education Department, Departmental Examinations Coordinator, Faculty Quality Assurance Focal Point, Faculty Representative on the Busitema University Ceremonies Committee, School Practice coordinator, member of Faculty Welfare Committee, and member of Academics and Disciplinary Committee. His research interests include student (research) engagement; educational assessment; pre-service and in-service teacher education; student and staff mentorship; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and psychological determinants of effective academic leadership at higher educational institutions. He has authored and co-authored several refereed articles, book chapters, and two book volumes in addition to serving as a reviewer, editor, and board member for different international journals and journal special issues. He has supervised dozens of postgraduate students to completion, and served as an external examiner and lead discussant for research theses of several postgraduate students of both national and international universities. He has undertaken several continuous professional development courses including International Deans’ Course under DIES/DAAD, Higher Education Leadership under Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); Working with Literature, Becoming a Lecturer, and Doctoral Supervision under African Doctoral Academy (ADA); and Gender Mainstreaming under FAWEU, among others. Outside academia he serves as a mentor and counsellor of learners, staff, and community members; catechist and Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharist in the Catholic Church; and facilitator of FAWEU Extended Orientation Programme (EOP) and Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) Programme.

Margaret Stella Suubi is a lecturer in the Department of Education, Faculty of Science and Education of Busitema University. As an educationist, she has had a vast experience first as a high school teacher and teacher trainer, with practical experience in team leadership, academic teaching, and research. She has been involved in curriculum development for pre-service and in-service teachers. She has a special interest in the role of higher education in Sustainable development. She has participated in developing a sustainability change programme for the faculty. The Change programme involved developing an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) cross-cutting curriculum and student involvement in ESD. She has overseen community engagement for the students’ ESD association in the Faculty. I am also much interested in Gender in Education with special interest in women in educational leadership. She has coordinated gender mainstreaming activities for the university, served as a member of the University contracts committee and staff disciplinary committee, and is a holder of a PHD in Educational Management of Makerere University with special focus on higher education curriculum management.

Eryenyu Charles , a Ugandan academic and researcher, is currently the Deputy Director of Quality Assurance at Busitema University. With a PhD in Management and Administration from Uganda Management Institute, studied MARIHE at the University of Tampere, and a Master of Science in Education from Makerere University, he has held various academic positions, including lecturer at Busitema University and teacher at Katikamu Secondary School. Eryenyu has published scholarly papers on education topics, including organizational politics, teacher turnover, career development, teacher mentorship and school board roles. He has also served on the editorial board for the Namibia Journal of Technical and Vocational Training and the National Council for Higher Education Institutional Accreditation team.

David Olema holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda. He is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the Dean/Chair/Programme Controller of the Faculty of Science and Education, Nagongera Campus, Busitema University. He has been teaching in universities and other higher education institutions since 1995. His university teaching niches include Human growth and development, Measurement and Evaluation in education, Human Learning and Instruction, Adolescent Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, Psychopathology, Health Psychology, and Quantitative Research methods. My research interests include Psychopathology, Educational assessment, Violence and the Psychological consequences/PTSD related disorders, Education and related studies. He is involved in supervision of postgraduate research. He has published in peer reviewed and open journals as a first author, co-author, and in National Examinations Boards International publications. He has also participated as a peer reviewer for three international journals and the Uganda National Examinations Board Publications. He has contributed to the quality of research and training in other Universities as External Examiner for Theory Examinations in University of Dar es Salaam (2017 to 2019), Master’s degree Dissertations and Theses at Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), and a Visiting Professor at MUST and Kyambogo University. Outside academia, he offers services as the president of vivo international Uganda Chapter. He is a proprietor of a Girls' Secondary School (Girl-Child Education Advocate), and many other community activities.