School Curriculum Committee: Its Role In Curriculum Implementation, The Case Of Amhara Region

Abstract

This study investigates the contribution of school curriculum committee in facilitating and coordinating curriculum implementation and factors that affect the roles of the school curriculum committee in secondary schools of Amhara Region. In undertaking the study the descriptive survey method was used. Five zones from the region were selected by using cluster-sampling techniques. Then from each zone three secondary schools with a total of fifteen secondary schools were selected again by cluster sampling techniques. Then all the school curriculum committee members and the principals of the school are taken by purposive sampling techniques. Moreover, one supervisor from each sample zone was also taken as a sample of the study. Questionnaires and structured interview guides were employed for data collection. The subjects of the study included a total of 262 school curriculum committee members, 15 secondary school principals and 5 zone educational supervisors. Frequency distribution and percentage were applied in analyzing and reporting the results.

The result indicates that the school curriculum committee is ineffective in creating favorable situations for teaching to get in-service education, to get resources support, create smooth relationship among staff members, and to participate in decision making process related to curriculum. Except secondary school principals, supervisors, students parents, and community members did not contribute for the implementation effort of the curriculum. Moreover, the school curriculum did not coordinate different groups for this effort.

The major factors that affected the roles of the school curriculum committee members are, lack of budget, lack of committee members understanding of the curriculum and roles and responsibilities of the committee members, lack of initiative and courage among teachers and shortage of resource support. Finally suggestions that may help to alleviate the problems were forwarded
The recommendations forwarded include the school curriculum committee should facilitate conditions for teachers to get in-service education and participate in decision- making process related to curriculum at all stages and the committee should coordinate different groups for implementation and improvement of the curriculum. Moreover, the Regional Education Bureau, the Zonal Education Department or the school should give orientation about the roles and responsibilities of the school curriculum committee members, and the purpose of supervision for principals, department heads, and supervisor, allocate budget for school curriculum committee, provide incentives for teachers and school curriculum committee members, reduce workload of the curriculum committee members, supply material support, and reduce committee members


Ethiopian Journal of Education and Science Vol. 2 (2) 2007: pp. 73-102