Teachers’ Assessment Competence and Learners’ Acquisition of Communication and Digital Literacy Skills in Public Primary Schools in Ileje District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT
The acquisition of digital literacy and communication skills among primary school learners is crucial for effective involvement in modern economic, social, and political environments. However, the level of assessment competence of the teachers to support the development of these skills is still not well documented in public primary schools in Tanzania. This study examined teacher assessment competence and its contribution to learners’ acquisition of communication and digital literacy skills in public primary schools in Ileje District, Tanzania. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design in a pragmatism research philosophy. Data were collected from 44 teachers through questionnaires, 18 classroom observations, and 18 focus group discussions involving 212 learners. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that teachers’ overall assessment competence was low (M = 2.01, SD = 0.95), indicating limited capacity to implement assessment practices that effectively support learners’ acquisition of communication and digital literacy skills. Although teachers demonstrated moderate competence in aligning assessment tools with curriculum objectives, the study found limited use of diverse assessment techniques, inadequate assessment of communication and digital literacy skills, minimal integration of technology in assessment processes, and weak use of formative assessment results to identify learning difficulties and adjust instructional practices. Classroom observations and learners’ reports further indicated that assessment practices were largely focused on academic content than on the development of practical 21st century skills. Inappropriate teacher assessment competence was found to be a problem that hamper the effective acquisition of communication and digital literacy skills by primary school learners. The study recommends strengthening continuous professional development on competency-based assessment, integrating authentic and diverse assessment approaches, and enhancing teachers’ capacity to use technology and formative assessment practices to monitor and support learners’ acquisition of communication and digital literacy skills.
Keywords: Teachers’ Assessment competence, communication skills, digital literacy skills, primary school learners, competency-based curriculum, Ileje-Tanzania

Teachers’ Assessment competence, Communication skills, Digital skills, Formative assessment, Competence- based learning.

1. Adhikari, R., & Timsina, T. P. (2024). An Educational study focused on the application of mixed method approach as a research method. OCEM Journal of Management, Technology & Social Sciences, 3(1), 94-109. https://doi.org/10.3126/ocemjmtss.v3i1.62229 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Balayogi, K. (2023). Formative assessment: Developing 21st century skills in contemporary education system. In Futuristic trends in social sciences V3B11 (Vol. 3, pp. 145–154). Iterative International Publishers. https://doi.org/10.58532/V3BESO11P8CH4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bhebhe, S. (2019). Digital literacy: A must for open distance and e-learning (ODEL) students. European Journal of Education Studies. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Chan, H.-Y. (2024). Assessing digital literacies: An ethnographic study of teachers' assessment literacies in the digital age. [Doctoral Thesis, Lancaster University]. Lancaster University. https://doi.org/10.17635/lancaster/thesis/2414 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Chand, S. P. (2025). Methods of data collection in qualitative research: Interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis. Advances in Educational Research and Evaluation, 6(1), 303-317. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Clark, I. (2015). Formative assessment: Translating high-level curriculum principles into classroom practice. Curriculum Journal, 26(1), 91-114.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2014.990911 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Emond, K., Bish, M., & Mnatzaganian, G. (2024). Pragmatism as a compatible theoretical lens for mixed methods research in prehospital care. Contemporary Pragmatism, 21(2), 177-189. https://doi.org/10.26181/26981896.v1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Idrissi, M. K., Hnida, M., & Bennani, S. (2017). Competency-based assessment: from conceptual model to operational tool. In Innovative practices for higher education assessment and measurement (pp. 57-78). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0531-0.ch004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Jo, J. S. (2019). A methodological study on the development of an in-depth interview guide. J. Qual. Inquiry, 5(1), 29-52. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Kawashima, H. (2022). Assessment Literacy. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781138609877-ree11-1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Lupeja, T. L., & Komba, S. (2021). Linking classroom assessment approaches to learners’ livelihood context in Tanzania: The disjunction between policy and practice. International Journal of Novel Research in Education and Learning, 8(1), 22–31. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Mathias, G., Lupeja, T. L., & Deogratias, E. (2025). Exploring mathematics teachers’ instructional and formative assessment practices for fostering 21st-century skills acquisition among secondary school students in Tanzania. https://doi.org/10.30738/union.v13i3.20303 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. McFadzien, N. (2015). Why is effective feedback so critical in teaching and learning. Journal of Initial Teacher Inquiry, 1(1), 16-18. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Munishi, E. J. (2022). Factors contributing to lack of soft skills among Tanzanian higher learning graduates. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 3(2). 64 – 72. https://doi.org/10.46606/8k47sa45 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Ndimbo, W. H. (2024). “Teachers’ and Pupils’ Understanding of Competency-Based Assessment for Tanzania Primary School Pupils’ Learning in Mpwapwa District”. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies 50 (8):477-90. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i81545. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Nguyen, L. A. T., & Habók, A. (2024). Tools for assessing teacher digital literacy: A review Journal of Computers in Education, 11(1), 305–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-022-00257-5 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Niyibizi, E. (2025). Competence-oriented assessment in globalising world: Analysis of paper standards for national examinations in Rwanda. European Journal of Education Studies, 12(7), 304–314. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i7.6092 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Nurdini, Y., Wulan, A. R., & Diana, S. (2020, April). Assessment for learning through written feedback to develop 21st-century critical thinking skills on plantae learning. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1521, No. 4, p. 042019). IOP Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Nyanjom, A., Omondi, J. M. O. Y., & Ongunya, O. R. (2020). Influence of teachers’ assessment competency on pupils’ academic achievement in Kisumu County. 4(11), 483–493. https://doi.org/10.36348/JAEP.2020.V04I11.009 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Phiri, M. K. (2026). Alignment or failure? Pedagogy-assessment coherence in Zambia’s 2023 competence-based curriculum through the lens of significant learning: A systematic review. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies, 6(2), 1775–1785. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049X.2026.6.2.6166 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Puspita, R. R., & Suyatno, S. (2020). Teacher observation assessment for primary education. ETERNAL (English Teaching Journal), 11(2). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Ramadhan, T. N. A. S., Jamil, S., Rohani, A., & Pangesty, A. J. (2026). Strategi Evaluasi Pembelajaran Dalam Meningkatkan Keterampilan Pada Abad Ke 21. Jurnal Teknologi Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran| E-ISSN: 3026-6629, 3(4), 1055-1061. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Rambeli, N. B., Ramli, E. B. H., Mahdinezhad, M., Jalil, N. B. A., Hashim, A., & Bakri, S. B. M. (2018). Issues in Insurance Expenses among the Lowest Income Households in Malaysia: Validity and Reliability Analyses. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(10), 1372-1380. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Raphael, C. (2022). Digital skills and self-employment among graduates of technical higher education institutions in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 41(1), 46–55. https://doi.org/10.52339/tjet.vi.772 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Raynault, A., Heilporn, G., Mascarenhas, A., & Denis, C. (2022). Teaching experiences of E-Authentic assessment: Lessons learned in higher education. Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, 11, 3-17. https://doi. org/10.14434/jotlt. v11il.34594 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Tomašević, A. N. (2023). Reshaping the future of work: Navigating the impacts of lifelong learning and digital competences in the era of industry 5.0. Social Informatics Journal, 2 (1), 1–6.https://doi.org/10.58898/sij.v2i1.01-06 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Sachan, R. (2023). Assessment of Effective Teaching Using by TOPSIS method. Journal on Innovations in Teaching and Learning.https://doi. org/10.46632/jitl/2/2/2. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Shabina, S., Amit, T. K., Eram, P., Pranav, K., & Deeksha, G. (2024). Focus group discussion: An emerging qualitative tool for educational research. International Journal of Research and Review, 11(9), 302-308. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Solmaz, E., Özcan, S., & Coşkun, B. K. (2023). Digital and ICT Literacy in Distance Education: A Systematic Review of Definitions and Transformations. Information Literacy Skills and the Role of social media in Disseminating Scholarly Information in the 21st Century, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8805-8.ch001 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Stitt-Bergh, M., Kinzie, J., & Fulcher, K. (2019). Refining an approach to assessment for learning improvement. Research and Practice in Assessment, 13. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Tokas, R., (2026). Digital Literacy: The Role of Education in 21st Century Skills Development. Int J Multidiscip Trends. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Trends, 8(1S):46-48. DOI: 10.22271/multi.2026.v8.i1a.1074 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Vatral, C., Biswas, G., & Goldberg, B. (2025). A Theoretical Framework for Performance Analysis in Competency-Based Experiential Learning Environments. In AI and Gamification Technologies for Complex Work (pp. 1-19). CRC Press.DOI: 10.1201/9781032701639-1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Vivek, R., Nanthagopan, Y., & Piriyatharshan, S. (2023). Beyond Methods: Theoretical underpinnings of triangulation in qualitative and multi-method studies”. Seeu Review, 18(2), 105-122. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. World Bank. 2023. Developing Skills for Tanzanian Youth Through Dynamic TVET: A World Bank Policy Note for Tanzania - Mainland. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/40488 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO. Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1596/40488 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Zhou, M. (2023). Significance of assessment in Learning: The role of educational assessment tools. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 18(2), 2881-2883. https://doi.org/10.15354/sief.23.co215 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Исхакбаева, Т. Г. (2024). Digital transformation and students’ skill development: forging the balance of hard and soft skills. Bulletin of the Karaganda University Pedagogy Series, 11629(4), 167-174. https://doi.org/10.31489/2024ped4/167-174 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study