Institutional Factors Influencing Implementation of Competency Based Curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Kigumo Sub-county, Murang’a County Kenya

Abstract

Several countries, including Kenya, are currently transitioning from content-based curriculum to competency-based teaching and learning methods in order to fulfill the need for acquiring 21st century skills. Despite the government's efforts to assure successful implementation, schools nevertheless face issues with insufficient people, limited physical resources, incongruence between curriculum and pedagogical practices, and a shortage of instructional materials. The study aimed to examine the institutional elements that affect the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum in public primary schools in Kigumo Sub-County, Murang'a County, Kenya. The objectives were to assess the impact of infrastructure on the implementation of CBC, to examine the influence of instructional materials on the implementation of CBC, to evaluate the extent to which teachers' in-service training affects the implementation of CBC, and to determine the influence of teachers' attitude on the implementation of CBC. The researchers chose to use a descriptive survey design. The sample consisted of 750 teachers, 62 head teachers, and 2230 grade 6 learners. The method of simple random sampling was employed to choose schools, whereas stratified random sampling was utilized for the selection of instructors and Grade 6 learners. The survey automatically included head teachers from selected schools through a census. Data was obtained through the use of questionnaires, interview schedules, and focus group interviews, both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Preliminary testing was conducted to verify the validity of the research tools. Reliability was evaluated using the test-retest method. The Pearson's product moment correlation produced a reliability coefficient of 0.84 for the questionnaire and 0.79 for the interview guide, indicating that the instruments were sufficiently trustworthy for the study. The qualitative data was examined using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) alongside the quantitative data, after being converted into a quantifiable format. The findings are displayed through the utilization of tables, graphs, and charts. The study found that the majority of schools lacked or had insufficient basic infrastructure facilities, including classrooms, playgrounds, latrines, water points, computer rooms, workshops, art and craft rooms, libraries, kitchens, dining halls, science laboratories, dormitories, lockers, classroom doors, fences, and home science rooms. In addition, the availability of instructional materials such as LDDs (Learning and Developmental Disabilities) and TDDs (Teacher Development and Deployment Systems), curriculum design materials, textbooks, charts, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) materials in schools was severely lacking, with the exception of exercise books. Furthermore, there was a scarcity of digital gadgets such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and projectors. The study also found that the training of CBC teachers was only partially conducted through re-tooling and seminars. As a result, a majority of teachers lack crucial skills such as digital literacy, effective communication and collaboration, the utilization of CBC materials in teaching and learning, the ability to learn how to learn, the use of CBC assessment tools/methods, the implementation of schemes of work for merged subjects, and the integration of ICT in the