A psychometric assessment of scholastic aptitude tests used in Zambia

To select secondary school entrants, Zambia uses a special paper as a scholastic aptitude test. The paper h" origin and even though it has been in use for more two decades, it has no manual and its validity and reliability has it been assessed.The present study's objective was to assess the validity and reliability of the special paper. The study was
experimental. Pupils from four schools were d as subjects. The schools v/ere selected on the basis of
Socio-economic status, thus the high, the low and the intermediate socio-economic groups. The subjects were selected on the basis of their performance
subjects. From each school , two groups; pupils, and
weak pupils were formed. Thus the high ability and the low
ability groups respectively. Two of the schools formed
experimental group vrinereas the other two, the control group.The experiment, was in two phases.; pre-test and post-test. Test scores were compared between ability groups, socio¬economic groups, and the phases. The paper's subject matter and construction were also assessed.

The results obtained showed that the paper -was susceptible to socio-economic background and coaching. It was also found out that the subject matter was of low level and that construction of items was in some cases . ambiguous and even erroneous. However, the test indicated good correlation between performance in school subjects and performance on it.