The extent of primary school teacher involvement in curriculum development : a case study of the South and South Central education regions of Southern Botswana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of primary school teachers' involvement in curriculum development in the South and South Central Education Regions of Southern Botswana. It also examined the teachers' contribution to curriculum development in Botswana. The introduction of the study provides the aim, problem statements, limitations, and defines critical concepts used in the study among other things. The methodology of the study employed IS survey research in its design. The population of the respondents in the two regions is five thousand five hundred and ninety (5590). The sample targeted was six hundred (600) teacher respondents. However, the actual number achieved was three hundred and fifty-three (353). Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire, which was piloted before the main study was undertaken. Twenty (20) teachers in one primary school were used in the pilot study, out of which fourteen (14) teachers responded. The research findings indicated that primary school teachers are not involved in curriculum development. With respect to this, the majority of the respondents indicated that they wanted teachers to participate fully in curriculum development. The study found out that primary school teachers are not involved in curriculum development because teachers are in shortage in the schools. One other reason is that curriculum development is centralised, a factor which inhabits teacher involvement. the research also found out that primary school teachers are not involve in curriculum development because they are not qualified to develop the curriculum. it was found that all primary school teachers cannot be involve in curriculum development. The study made some recommendations for policy refocus so that teachers should be involved fully in curriculum development. it is recommended that membership of primary school teachers in the national Curriculum panel should be rotational. Further, it is recommended that the number of the teachers in the Panel should be increased to two per subject area. it is recommended that more power should be devolved to regions.