AL-Qist

Just Assessment Between Equality and Equity (Qist)

Toward a Fair and Ethical Framework for Educational Evaluation

Introduction

In educational systems across the world, fairness is a foundational principle in the design of assessments. However, fairness is often mistaken for uniformity—particularly when all test items are given equal weight, regardless of their difficulty or cognitive complexity. This practice may appear to treat learners equally, but in reality, it reflects a superficial form of justice. True fairness, or “qist” in the Qur’anic sense, demands a deeper commitment to equity: ensuring that each learner is evaluated according to the real weight of the task and their demonstrated ability.

 Qur’anic Foundation: Equity as Justice (Qist)

The Qur'an offers profound guidance on justice, not only in legal and social domains but also in how we measure and evaluate:

“And establish weight in justice (qist)” Surah al-Rahman, 55:9

This command does not advocate for flat, identical treatment in all cases. Instead, it promotes precise, proportionate justice, where each matter—whether it be rights, effort, or evaluation—is given its due measure. In educational assessment, this principle translates into assigning appropriate weight to exam items based on their difficulty, educational value, and cognitive demand.

 The Problem with Formal Equality

Many institutions apply assessment models that give every question the same point value. This may seem "fair" on the surface but leads to three major issues:

Distortion of True Performance: A student answering harder, higher-order questions correctly may receive the same score as one answering only simple recall questions.

Demotivation of High Performers: When effort and depth are not rewarded proportionately, learners are discouraged from engaging in deeper thinking.

Misalignment with Learning Outcomes: Critical outcomes such as analysis, clinical reasoning, or application are de-emphasized if not properly weighted.

From Equality to Qist: Policy Recommendations

To move from formal equality to meaningful justice, the following policy directions are recommended:

1. Redesign Grade Allocation Mechanisms

Assign item weights based on:

Difficulty level

Cognitive domain (e.g., recall, understanding, application, analysis)

Relevance to intended learning outcomes

Ensure higher-order thinking skills are appropriately rewarded.

2. Implement Psychometric Models (IRT)

Use Item Response Theory (IRT) to:

Calibrate item difficulty and discrimination

Estimate student ability accurately on a common scale

Enable dynamic weighting of each item in scoring

3. Revise Passing Standards Based on Equity

Move beyond the outdated "60% = pass" model.

Adopt standard setting methods that reflect competency-based thresholds, especially for high-stakes exams (e.g., licensing, board exams).

4. Train Educators and Examiners in Qist-Based Assessment

Conduct workshops on:

The philosophical distinction between equality and equity

The Qur’anic concept of qist as applied to education

Practical tools for building fair, skill-aligned assessments

Expected Impact

Implementing a justice-based assessment framework will:

•  Reward actual learning, not just rote memorization.

• Strengthen exam credibility for accreditation and certification.

• Reduce bias and better reflect student abilities.

• Align assessments with deeper educational goals and societal needs.

🟢 Conclusion

In essence, educational justice is not achieved by giving all learners the same score per item, but by recognizing and rewarding effort, depth, and ability. The principle of qist, as emphasized in the Qur'an, challenges us to rethink our evaluation systems—not only to measure knowledge, but to do so with fairness, precision, and ethical integrity.

Unless we move beyond flat scoring systems and simplistic equal treatment, we risk offering justice in name only—not in practice. The shift from equality to equity is not merely a technical adjustment; it is a moral imperative grounded in both divine wisdom and sound pedagogy.