School-based Factors Influencing Implementation of Chemistry Curriculum in Public Secondary Schools in Garissa Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

As a science subject, chemistry occupies a central locus in the contemporary society. Its knowledge underpins almost every aspect of life. Despite this, implementation of the subjects’ curriculum still remains below expectations. This is exemplified in the downward performance trend of the subject as compared to fellow science subjects, biology and physics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the school based factors influencing the implementation of chemistry curriculum in public secondary schools in Garissa Sub County, Kenya. The study objectives were; to determine the influence of facilities, materials, teachers’ qualifications, assessment methods and lesson allocation on the implementation of chemistry curriculum. The study was guided by constructivist theory which postulates that learning is an active process during which the learner utilizes current or past knowledge to construct new ideas or concepts of content. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised of all the eight public secondary schools in Garissa Sub County, eight principals, 27 chemistry teachers and 940 form four students. The sample size consisted of eight principals, 27 chemistry teachers and 94 form four students selected by simple random sampling. Data was collected by use of questionnaires and observation checklists. Reliability of the instruments was ensured by use of test-retest method. Collected data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics and presented in frequency tables, bar graphs and pie charts. Main findings of the study revealed that all the schools had laboratories, complete with most of the necessary fittings, furniture, instructional materials and safety equipment available and adequate by more than 70.0%. However water supply had the lowest availability and adequacy at 59.6% indicating that some laboratories faced a challenge of water supply. On teacher qualifications and implementation of chemistry curriculum, the study revealed a 94.7% consensus that teachers’ qualifications influence curriculum implementation, in particular, teachers with higher academic qualifications and more experience implement the subjects’ curriculum more satisfactorily. Regarding assessment methods, it was found that all schools had an examination policy and that 87.2% of the schools administer at least three chemistry tests per term. Additionally, 59.1% of the teachers do not use project work at all in assessment of chemistry learning. Concerning lesson allocation and chemistry curriculum implementation, it was revealed that 86.4% of the teachers had between (21-30) lessons per week. Additionally 68.2% of the teachers held positions of responsibility in addition to chemistry teaching. Most of the students representing 72.1% admitted to being taught during other times in addition to the timetabled lessons indicating an inadequacy of teaching time based on lesson allocation. The study recommended that; the content of chemistry curriculum for secondary schools should be reduced to a manageable size to enable its coverage by use of chemistry lessons allocated on the teaching timetable; Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and Kenya National Examinations Council should integrate examinable project work content into the formal chemistry curriculum for secondary schools; Boards of Management of public secondary schools should consider hiring additional staff to the science departments in which the practical based science subject teachers are holding other positions of responsibility.