Establishing challenges faced by biology teachers in the implementation of the competence-based curriculum in selected U.S.E. schools in Wakiso District

Abstract

The study aimed at establishing the challenges faced by biology teachers in the implementation of the competence-based curriculum in selected U.S.E schools in Wakiso district. The study used social constructivist theory by Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist who believes that individuals play an active role in creating their own knowledge. The data generated was analyzed and presented according to three themes which emerged throughout the study namely: teaching methods, instructional materials and continuous professional development. The sample size included 118 biology teachers and 14 head teachers from the selected U.S.E schools. The respondents were chosen using the purposive sampling technique in order to study a small number of selected biology teachers, head teachers and schools. Data were collected using questionnaires that were administered to biology teachers and interviews with head teachers, which were evaluated using qualitative methodologies. The study found out the challenges faced by biology teachers include: limited access to adequate instructional materials like textbooks, laboratory equipment and ICT infrastructure, hurdles while adapting to teaching methods that align with the approach of CBC and limited CPD opportunities. Based on the findings made, researchers made the following recommendations which include: the government should ensure adequate instructional learning resources such as ICT infrastructure, the Ministry of Education and Sports should provide more CPD opportunities to biology teachers in USE schools among others