Teachers’ practices on effective implementation of the competence-based curriculum in biology teaching

Abstract

Background: Uganda’s adoption of the CBC in 2020 aims to equip learners with 21st-century competencies, emphasizing practical skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and learner-centered approaches. Biology education, which relies heavily on practical learning, provides a critical context to evaluate CBC implementation. Despite policy intentions, gaps exist between recommended pedagogical practices and actual classroom execution. Objective: This study assessed biology teachers’ practices, knowledge, and attitudes toward the implementation of CBC in selected lower secondary schools in Kampala district. Methods: A mixed-methods survey design was employed. Ten biology teachers were purposively sampled. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, classroom observations, and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to triangulate findings across the study objectives. Results: Teachers demonstrated awareness of National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC)-recommended pedagogical practices, particularly in lesson planning and collaborative learning. Learner-centered activities were applied often by 80% of teachers, problem-solving tasks by 70%, and hands-on experiments by 60%. Implementation was constrained by large class sizes, limited laboratory and ICT resources, and teacher workload. Knowledge of CBC pedagogy was strong among 80% of teachers, and 70% expressed positive attitudes toward learner-centered, competency-based instruction. However, continuous assessment practices and ICT integration were inconsistently applied, with only 30–40% of teachers implementing these regularly. Conclusion: Biology teachers understand and value CBC principles, but resource limitations, class size, and workload hinder full implementation. Enhancing professional development, infrastructure, and ICT access is critical to aligning classroom practices with CBC objectives.