The Impact of Curriculum Policy Changes on The Teaching and Learning of Religious Education in Chipata Urban Selected Schools

The Impact of Curriculum Policy Changes on The Teaching and Learning of Religious Education in Chipata Urban Selected Schools

Master of Education (Religious Studies)

The research study focused on the impact of curriculum policy changes in the teaching and learning of Religious Education. The research was meant to ascertain the positive and negative impacts of curriculum policy changes on RE teachers and learners. Lastly, it aimed at proposing alternative ways to deal with curriculum policy changes in Religious Education. With the ongoing changes in the education curriculum in Zambia due to political pronouncements, it was imperative to find out how these changes affect the teaching and learning of Religious Education in Chipata urban selected schools.

These changes, therefore, demand a need for this research. The study used a descriptive survey, combining both qualitative and quantitative research strategies. Questionnaires, interviews, and Observation guides were used to collect data using the qualitative method which was analyzed and used accordingly. However, the study sample of this research consisted of 16 students from grades 8 to 12, 15 religious education secondary school teachers, 6 secondary school headteachers, 15 people from the society which included parents as well as people from religious institutions, 1 Education standards officers from the District education board office (DEBS), 1 senior education standards officer from the provincial education officers office (PEO) and 3 lecturers from colleges of Education making a total sample of 57.

The research revealed that there are both positive and negative impacts of curriculum policy changes, though the majority of them are negative impacts. One of the positive impacts was the new topics added to the RE curriculum help learners cope well with the communities where they stay. On the other hand, the research revealed that coming up with a new curriculum brings about the need for the orientation of teachers on a new methodology which is not done due to lack of funds. Limited funds affect both the schools and the DEBS' and PEO'S offices to an extent that monitoring and evaluation of any curriculum policy change is a challenge and is left unattended. According to the research findings, learning materials are also a challenge. Schools are forced to purchase materials when the ministry fails to provide them.

The findings also highlighted the alternatives to improving curriculum policy changes. Notably, the call for workshops, and involvement of stakeholders before changing the curriculum are some of the points mentioned. In addition to the above, any new programme must start as a pilot program first and must be monitored from the beginning up to the end until when it is confirmed to be a good programme.

Maleka Rabson Kabandama

Submitted To: Justo Mwale University

2020

Supervisor: Associate: Prof. Edwin Silavwe

All Right Reserved. Justo Mwale University

ENGLISH

WRITTEN DOCUMENT

THE IMPACT OF THE CURRICULUM POLICY CHANGES ON THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN CHIPATA URBAN SCHOOLS.