Perceptions of English teachers on the new curriculum in Zimbabwe: a case study of selected schools in Masvingo District.

Abstract

This study sought to analyse the perceptions of English Teachers in Masvingo District of Zimbabwe towards the implementation of the Competence-Based Curriculum also known as the Updated Curriculum or New Curriculum. The English Language is currently the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) in Zimbabwe. Students must pass English Language as a subject at Ordinary Level (Form 4) for them to proceed to Advanced Level (A-Level), which is the exit level for admission into university. It is also one of the formal requirements for one to secure employment in public and private sectors. It is thus important for this learning area (subject) to be properly constituted to suit the needs of the Zimbabwean citizenry by ensuring that its relevance remains uncompromised by Ill-considered policies that are implemented by government policy makers. This study investigated teachers’ perceptions towards the curriculum changes, focusing mainly on the changes relevant to the teaching and learning of the English language as a subject. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select Secondary School English Teachers in Masvingo district. The motivation for conducting this study emanated from widely reported cases of discontent expressed by parents, teachers, and learners on the changes that the updated curriculum brought, prompting possibilities of defiance, non-compliance, and outright rejection. The study therefore sought to investigate the perceptions of teachers regarding the curricular changes. Grounded in phenomenology the study focused on selected teachers of English as a High school subject. A total of 120 teachers from 30 schools in the district participated in a questionnaire survey while 10 more participated in an interview to establish the teachers’ perceptions on the new curriculum. The findings of the study were that 80% of the participants agreed that the updated curriculum was a positive development, but all invariably agreed that the curriculum needed improvement. It was also established that the major issues with the new curriculum were its Continuous Assessment Learning Area component (CALA). Another significant finding was the perceived lack of consultation by government, leaving most teachers feeling aggrieved that government simply had forced them into a curriculum that they did not know anything about. This lack of consultation was compounded by the government’s seemingly inadequate training of its teachers on the new curriculum. It is the recommendation of this study that government must review the updated curriculum with the aim to reconsider its position on CALA. Further to that, government must also establish training programs to acquaint teachers with the updated curriculum to ensure a smooth and efficient transition of the new curriculum.