The challenges and innovations of implementing Kiswahili curriculum in primary schools; a case of Muthetheni zone Machakos county

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges and innovation of implementing Kiswahili urriculum in primary schools in Muthetheni Zone Machakos County .. The objectives of the study were to; establish whether the Kiswahili teachers have clearly understood the Kiswahili curriculum, establish whether the Kiswahili teachers were trained (pre-service and in-serve training) to competently implement the curriculum, to assess whether there are sufficient resources and facilities to support the curriculum and examine how the attitudes of Kiswahili teachers contribute to the implementation of the Kiswahili curriculum. The target population was 173 teachers in Muthetheni Zone. A sample of 44 Kiswahili teachers and 22 heads of Kiswahili language department were chosen for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot study was conducted to test the reliability of data collection instrument. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics where tables and frequency description were used to present the data. The results indicated that lack of adequate in-service training and seminars by Kiswahili teachers affected their competence to implement the curriculum effectively. There were no adequate materials and resources in schools to implement curriculum for Kiswahili teaching and learning. The study also revealed that 18% of the Kiswahili teachers sampled had a negative attitude towards the Kiswahili subject. All these made the implementation of Kiswahili curriculum difficult contrary to expectations. It was recommended that Kiswahili teachers should be in-serviced through seminars and workshops so that they can fully understand and implement the Kiswahili curriculum. It was also recommended that teacher training colleges should adopt the reforms in their curriculum so that the graduates are not challenged when implementing the curriculum in primary schools. Kiswahili books should not be frequently changed as teachers needed time to read and internalize them. This ':YUi lighten the burden ~f parents and schools from purchasing the books frequently. It was also recommended that Kiswahili grammar (Kiswahili Lugha) be separated from Kiswahili composition (insha) so that the two are treated as separate subjects to enable the teachers tackle their areas of specialization and make implementation of the curriculum sustainable.