Zimbabwean Teachers' Concerns Regarding the Implementation of the New Curriculum

Abstract

This study examines how Zimbabwean primary and secondary school teachers perceive recent developments in curriculum reforms, and the support teachers need in order to implement the curriculum reforms actively and effectively. A questionnaire with 5 stages of concerns, based on the adapted concerns-based adoption model (CBAM) by George, Hall and Stiegelbauer was administered to a convenience sample of 70 experienced primary and secondary school teachers on block release who had come to undertake their bachelor of education and master of education courses at the University of Zimbabwe during the December vacation. Each participant responded to a total of 35 questionnaire items and a summary of their responses was made. This study has shown that teachers generally harbour negative and unconstructive feelings about the new curriculum. These feelings negatively impact their involvement in and commitment to implementing reform. Several issues to be considered for teacher training and support evolved from our analysis of teachers' perceptions of the curriculum reform and its implementation: first, teachers are insufficiently provided with professional development programmes that support curriculum implementation; second, teachers lack opportunities to work through implementation problems and difficulties with peer teachers; and last, contextual and cultural constraints inhibit implementation of curriculum reform. Significant differences in concerns of teachers across years of teaching experience were observed. Based upon these findings, this study makes several suggestions for teacher educators and curriculum policymakers.