School-related factors influencing effective implementation of primary school curriculum in Nguu division, Makueni county, Kenya

Abstract

Schools play critical roles in the implementation of primary school curriculum. However, syllabus coverage and pupils’ academic performance has been dismal. The purpose of this study was to investigate school-related factors influencing effective implementation of primary school curriculum in Nguu Division, Makueni County, Kenya. The study objectives sought to; investigate the influence of schools’ staffing levels; schools’ provision of instructional resources; schools’ provision of school facilities and school management support on implementation of primary school curriculum in Nguu Division. The target population for this study comprised of 32 head teachers, 221 teachers and one Sub-County Director of Education from which a sample of 10 head teachers, 66 teachers from the public schools in Nguu Division and one Sub-County Director of Education totaling to 77 respondents. Simple random sampling was used to select the head teachers and teachers. Census sampling was used to select one Sub-County Director of Education. The study was guided by the Systems theory. Descriptive survey research design was used to gather information, summarize, present and interpret data for the purpose of clarification. Questionnaires and an interview schedule were used as tools for data collection. Once data was collected from the field, it was coded and analyzed using SPSS. Qualitative data generated from the open ended items were organized into themes. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively and presented using frequency distribution tables with percentages and cross tabulations. The findings of the study established that: there was teachers’ shortage in Nguu Division of Makueni and this influenced curriculum implementation to a great extent, majority (40%) of the respondents strongly agreeing with it. Most of the schools in Nguu Division did not have adequate teaching and learning resources which greatly influenced curriculum implementation. According to 70% of the respondents, most of the schools lacked adequate instructional resources while only 30% had adequate instructional resources and that there were 3-5 pupils per text book (56%). The open ended question on the missing resources indicated that they included but not limited to; text books, charts, exercise books, library and computers among others. There was inadequacy of school facilities in most schools which included; classrooms, desks and toilets, the administrative management skills influenced the curriculum implementation to a very great extent. The study recommended that the government should increase the number of teachers per school to reduce teachers’ shortage so as to improve curriculum implementation. The ministry of education should ensure staff balancing as per the school curriculum establishment; the teachers should improvise teaching- learning resources like charts so that schools could only purchase the ones which are hard to improvise. For the parents, they should support the schools by providing local materials for free so as to help schools in the construction of school buildings, and that the school administration should invest in capacity building and motivation for teachers, embrace team work and delegate responsibilities to teachers so as to improve their curriculum implementation skills.