Relationship between Teachers Participation in Curriculum Development Process and Implementation of Secondary School Curriculum in Kenya

Abstract

Curriculum development is a fundamental process by which the nation achieves its educational objectives. Curriculum represents the thinking of the society and is the cornerstone of economic and social development if effectively implemented. Teachers should participate in curriculum development process for them to have a clear understanding of curriculum elements and to be able to develop and modify curriculum support materials for effective implementation. The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between teachers’ participation in curriculum development process and implementation of secondary curriculum in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey research design and was conducted in Meru and Nairobi counties. The target population was 3146 teachers comprising of 1781 males and 13635 females. Stratified random sampling was used to draw the participating teachers while the principals were purposively selected. A sample of 342 teachers participated in the study. Questionnaire for teachers and an interview schedule for principals were used to collect data for the study. A pilot study was conducted in Tharaka Nithi County to determine the reliability of the research instruments. Cronbach’s alpha was used to estimate the reliability of the instruments. A correlation coefficient value of 0.935 was obtained for teacher’s questionnaire. The research instruments were validated by the help of supervisors and other experts in the field of research. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics, (chi square) were used for data analysis. All hypotheses were tested at x=0.05 level of significance. Analysis was facilitated by use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 19.0 for windows. The study findings established that there was a statistically significant relationship between teachers’ participation in curriculum conceptualization, selection and organization of content, selection and organization of learning experiences, selection and development of curriculum support materials, curriculum piloting and implementation of secondary school curriculum in Kenya. It was also found out that there was minimal involvement of teachers in all stages of curriculum development. The study recommended that secondary school teachers should be involved in all stages of curriculum development. The study also recommended a shift of decision making from the centre to the periphery which will cause a change in teachers and administrators roles, involving them greater decision making regarding the construction of curriculum for effective implementation. The findings of this study may supplement the government efforts directed towards improving the implementation of secondary school curriculum in Kenya. It was also hoped that the findings of the study would provide the educational policy makers and curricula developers with the feedback on whether there is a gap between curriculum policy on paper and what is implemted in the classroom. The study findings of the study could offer suggestions on how teachers and curriculum developers wuld work together in curriculum construction for effective implementation of curriculum by teachers in schools.