Factors affecting the implementation of the 2013 revised curriculum in selected primary schools in Mumbwa district of Zambia: an educational management perspective.
Date
2022-08-10
Authors
Maswabi, Namasiku Lillian
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Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate some factors affecting the implementation of the 2013 revised curriculum in selected primary schools of Mumbwa district in Zambia.
Class teachers and pupils in selected schools were asked on what they know as well as their views on some of the factors that were perceived to affect the implementation of the revised 2013 curriculum as well as other curriculums previously implemented in Zambia. Further, five school teachers were interviewed on the existence of the actual curriculum in their respective schools, if enough time was taken to explain to other stakeholders (teachers and pupils) the importance of implementation process, their views on the perceived factors and what they were doing to ensure the curriculum was well implemented. Additionally, five key informants from the Ministry of General Education, Mumbwa district were interviewed about their role in the implementation process, what they ministry what to realize from the revised 2013 curriculum, the feasibility of implementing the curriculum and whether they carry out routine monitoring to assess whether the curriculum is there in all schools and been implemented. They also asked about what their views are on some of the factors that can affect the implementation process and whether they have considered these factors as threats to the implementation process before.
Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis were codes were developed for similar responses.
Results from the study revealed that the quality of the available human resource was important towards the implementation of the curriculum. However, most of the teachers had little understanding of the revised 2013 curriculum as well as the entire implementation plan. This was found to have a greater effect on the implementation of the revised curriculum as seen that most of the schools were still had not incorporated the revised curriculum in their teaching schemes. On the other hand, pupils expressed ignorance as to whether they have heard of the revised 2013 curriculum, and what it intended to achieve and this defeats the whole purpose of developing a curriculum before the implementation process is even considered. Thus according to the indications by the respondents, human resource has an effect on the implementation of the revised 2013 curriculum in selected primary schools of Mumbwa. Infrastructure plays an important role in the implementation of the revised 2013 curriculum as revealed by interviews with the school head teachers and key informants who reported that limited infrastructure inhibits long learning hours because it affects the certain contents of the curriculum that needs to implemented especially those are practical in nature. Most infrastructures in schools does not support the requirements of the new curriculum, and this affects the smooth implementation of the project. Finally, studies revealed that most of the schools have teaching and learning materials, though they are not updated in line with the revised 2013 curriculum as some of the subject matter is new in the revised curriculum and this affects the content which teachers give to the pupils. The study revealed that, the revision of any curriculum should firs start with looking at factors that could affect the implementation and having them in place, as findings showed that human resource, infrastructure and teaching materials have an effect on the implementation process of the revised 2013 curriculum. The researcher made four clear recommendations which were based on the findings of the study.
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Thesis
Keywords
Factors affecting curriculum implementation. , Education--Zambia--Curricula.