Schools’ Management Preparedness on the Implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Kirinyaga West Subcounty, Kenya
Date
2023-05
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Publisher
Mount Kenya University
Abstract
The competency-based curriculum is presently being implemented in public primary schools in the country. Yet, empirical evidence indicates that schools’ management faces a lot of challenges, hence making it very difficult for the implementation of CBC. The researcher sought to explore schools’ management preparedness with regard to execution of CBC. Objectives were: to establish the schools’ management financial preparedness, preparedness for requisition of specialized teachers, schools’ management learning resources preparedness and support services preparedness on implementation of CBC in Kirinyaga west subcounty. The study was anchored on Curriculum Implementation Theory, Theory of Organizational Readiness for Change, and Kurt Lewin Change Management Model. The study adopted mixed method approach and descriptive survey design thus allowing concurrent triangulation of data where both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used. Target population comprised 68 headteachers, 1,020 teachers, 15, 500 CBC pupils and 4 subcounty education officials totaling to 16,592 respondents. Yamane Formula was used to sample 399 respondents that were identified using purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. This allowed the researcher to select 20 headteachers, 334 pupils, 44 teachers, and 1 subcounty education official. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from teachers whereas an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data from headteachers and subcounty education official. A document analysis checklist was also used for primary data collection. Piloting was done using 39 respondents from all the 3 categories, which is 10% of the sample. Reliability, validity, dependability and credibility of the research instruments were duly tested through the supervisors ‘and peer-reviews’ input. Quantitative data was organized and processed descriptively and inferentially using SPSS (version 23) and presented using frequency tables. Linear regression was carried out under inferential statistics. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis technique and presented using narratives. The study established that schools’ financial preparedness, schools’ preparedness in requisition of specialized teachers, schools’ learning resources preparedness, and schools’ support services preparedness have significant influence on the implementation of the CBC in public primary schools. The study recommended that there is need for the government to provide enough financial resources for implementation of the CBC. Headteachers in public primary schools must continuously put pressure on the government to provide specialized teachers for implementation of the CBC. School managers should be trained on how to mobilize learning resources even where the government is unable to provide them on time. There is also need for adequate time for preparation of teachers’ training as well as the need for school administrations to have in place adequate assurance and standards assessment from KICD for effective implementation of CBC.