Teacher preparedness and the implementation of competency based education in public primary schools in Kambu Sub-County, Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

Owing to the challenges and requirements of the growing global economy, many African countries are struggling to be abreast with the international standards of knowledge. This has called for reforms in the education sector. Implementation of Competency Based Education (CBE) brings new trends to take the African education in level with the rest of the world. The general purpose of this study was to investigate the preparedness of teachers towards the implementation of Competency Based Education in public primary schools in Kambu Sub-county, Makueni County, Kenya. The study objectives sought to: determine the influence of teacher professional development, teachers’ ability to use teaching and learning resources effectively, teachers’ attitudes and the availability of teacher digital literacy skills on the implementation of Competency Based Education in Kambu Sub-county. This study was guided by the Visible Learning Theory. The study employed survey research design. The study had a target population of 77 primary schools with 687 teachers. Purposive and stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 21 public primary schools and 147 teachers. A pilot study was conducted in four schools, one in each of the four zones, to test and adjust the research instruments. Validity was ensured by face and content validity while calculation of Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to calculate the reliability of the instruments. Data was collected by use of questionnaires. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed to comprehend the findings of the study. Data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30.0.0. The results of the study were presented in form of tables. The study concluded that teacher professional development, teaching and learning resources, teachers attitudes and teacher’ digital literacy skills significantly influence the implementation of CBE and recommended need for financial investment to facilitate them. This research may significantly contribute to the ongoing debate and reflections on the contribution of the Competency Based Education on sustainable development, address the teething challenges associated with the implementation of CBE with an aim of making it more acceptable and provide some strategies towards its successful implementation. Generally, the study will help bridge different gaps occasioned by unpreparedness of teachers in the implementation of CBE.