Assessment of the implementation of lifeskills Curriculum in public primary schools in Murang’a East District of Murang’a county, Kenya.

Abstract

Although life skills education was introduced in Kenyan schools as a way of empowering children with appropriate information and skills in the fight against HIV and AIDs infection and other challenges its implementation has been very low in majority of public primary schools (MoE, 2012). This study purposed to assess the implementation of life skills curriculum in public primary schools in Murang’a East District of Murang’a County. It adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was all schools in Murang’a East and comprised of a sample size of 384 respondents from 16 sample schools. 16 head teachers 48 teachers and 320 pupils participated in this study. Cluster sampling was used to select groups rather than individuals. Sampling was done in four schools from each of the four divisions that make up Murang’a East Sub County hence a total of 16 schools. Data was collected using questionnaires for the head teachers, teachers and learners. Document analysis was also used as a research tool. Validity of the questionnaires was achieved through expert judgment and piloting while reliability was determined by split-half technique. The data obtained was analyzed by use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21 computer package. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies and bar graphs was used to present the data. Findings may inform and guide curriculum developers, policy makers, researchers and implementers in the field of life skills. From the findings, the study concludes that majority of the teachers had low level of awareness on life-skills objectives which reduced their efficiency of the life-skills curriculum implementation. Majority of the teachers in public primary schools had low practice of life-skills curriculum strategies. Majority of the public primary schools lacked requisite teaching and learning resources on life skills curriculum. Majority of the teachers and head teachers had not received any training on life skills curriculum. The inadequate and limited teachers’ training about LS curriculum hindered the teachers’ competency in implementing life-skills curriculum. The study recommends that the government should conduct in-service and pre-service training on LSE to equip teachers with skills in LSE. The government should conduct regular supervision to ensure that teacher comply with the laid framework on LSE. The government, with other stakeholders like UNICEF, should create a special fund to finance the implementation of LSE in terms of provision of teaching and learning resources to all public primary schools. The government should review the teacher training institutions curriculum with a view to incorporate LSE in the teachers’ preservice training.