Challenges Facing Teaching and Learning of Secondary Schools’ Science Subjects in Implementation of Competence Based Curriculum in Tanzania

A Case of Selected Secondary School in Iringa Region

Case Study , 2019 , 7 Pages , Grade: A

Pedagogy - School System, Educational and School Politics

The aim of this study is to assess challenges facing implementation of competence-based curriculum in Science subjects in secondary schools. The study followed a qualitative approach, and adopted a case study design. A sample of three science teachers and four science learners participated in the study. Data were collected through individual interviews with teachers, focus group interviews with learners and lesson observation.

Teaching and learning of science is faced by many challenges in most developing countries. There is a shortage of qualified science teachers in some African countries and in some instances teachers Data were then analyzed. The study found that there were numerous challenges related to lack of required infrastructure and resources for science teaching. There were also challenges related to learners’ background, language of instruction and lack of parental support.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to asses' challenges facing implementation of competence-based curriculum in Science subjects in secondary schools. The study followed a qualitative approach, and adopted a case study design. A sample of three science teachers and four science learners participated in the study. Data were collected through individual interviews with teachers, focus group interviews with learners and lesson observation.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Competence is a set of skills, knowledge and behaviors that someone needs to have achieved in order to perform tasks or activities at school and in the world of work (Sullivan, 2005 cited in Mosha, 2012 and Makunja, 2016).

Kouwenhoven, (2003) defines competence as the capability to choose and apply an integrated combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes with the intention to realize a task in a certain context (cited in Makunja 2016). In Tanzania CBC was adopted in secondary education in 2005 (Makunja 2016).

Science is part of our daily lives: all day, every day, everywhere we go. Our personal lives are real world contexts for learning science and understanding the impact of science on our lives. Everyone can become engaged in science by way of linking daily personal experiences to science.

Teaching and learning of science is faced by many challenges in most developing countries. There is a shortage of qualified science teachers in some African countries and in some instances teachers Data were then analyzed. The study found that there were numerous challenges related to lack of required infrastructure and resources for science teaching. There were also challenges related to learners' background, language of instruction and lack of parental support.

The study concludes that the teaching and learning of Natural Sciences in secondary schools is affected by the existence of challenges which should be addressed. It is only after such challenges are addressed that Natural Science can be meaningfully taught and learnt in schools.

available to teach science may not be qualified to teach the subject. Teachers' problems in understanding some of the topics in the subjects that they teach, raises concern on their content knowledge.

1.1 Objective of the study

The general objective of this study is to asses' challenges encountered by teachers and learners in teaching and learning science subjects in secondary schools.

Specifically, the study was guided by the following specific objectives:

1. To assess the challenges facing teachers in teaching science subjects to enhance CBC in secondary schools.
2. To assess the challenges facing science learners in learning science subjects in secondary schools.
3. To explore science teachers and learners' perceptions on how to address the challenges facing them in teaching and learning science subjects in secondary schools respectively.

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• College: Sokoine University of Agriculture
• Grade: A
• Author: Peter Shang'wet (Author)
• Publication Year: 2019
• Pages: 7
• Catalog Number: V1132501
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346615121
• Language: English
• Tags: challenges, facing, teaching, learning, secondary, schools’, science, subjects, implementation, competence, based, curriculum, tanzania, case, selected, school, iringa, region