The role of the primary school teacher in implementing change in the primary school curriculum: a case study of Mount Elgon division Bungoma district

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the primary school teachers in implementing change in the primary school curriculum. The research was carried out in Mount Elgon Division, Bungoma District.

The study is timely considering that it is coming at a time when a new system of education (8-4-4) in our schools is being implemented. It is also crucial because it tries to highlight some of the problems teachers face in the rural area in their implementation endeavors.

The short time and financial constraints disallowed the use of a large sample of teachers and schools. Nine schools were selected from a total of about 26 schools and the researcher to administer the research instruments visited each of these schools.

The data obtained was recorded, analyzed and interpreted as frequencies, ranks and percentage distributions.

The findings of the study showed that the teachers’ views on their roles and activities in curriculum implementation were held as vital for the process of change implementation. The teachers' problems in implementing change in the rural areas were diverse and quite challenging. The study further revealed that the community assistance was above all paramount to the success of implementation of any change, the school being deeply rooted in the community.

Based on these findings, a number of recommendations were made. That the teachers should be involved in the entire curriculum development and implementation processes was one of the recommendations.