FACTORS INFLUENCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IN SELECTED PREPARATORY SCHOOLS OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE OF OROMIA REGION

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess factors influencing the implementation of mathematics curriculum in selected preparatory schools of East Hararghe zone. The design of the study was descriptive survey design. The study was conducted in three purposively selected government preparatory schools, namely Chelenko, Deder and Karamile preparatory schools. The targete population for this study was 995 where 980 of them are students, 9 mathematics teachers, 3 school principals and 3 supervisors. From this accessible population the sample size was 294 students, all teachers, principals and supervisors. Purposive sampling was used to select the schools, teachers, principals and supervisors while simple random sampling was used to select the sample of students. Questionnaire for students; interviews for teachers, principals and supervisors; observation and document analysis were used to get information from the four categories of respondents. Data were collected and coded in SPSS 23 and then analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage and mean values as well as inferential statistics was conducted using a one way ANOVA then presented in Tables for discussion. From the result of the analyses, students fear of mathematics, disobedience, cheating and disturbance were identified as students’ related factors; and mathematics teachers’ lack of interest & motivation for teaching, lack of preparedness to teach and negative attitudes towards teaching were identified as teachers’ related factors which might influence the implementation of mathematics curriculum. The present study confirmed that grade 11 & 12 mathematics textbooks had not been covered within the time allotted for them in the three sampled preparatory schools. Moreover, from the analyses of questionnaire, interviews and observation, there are insufficient school recourses in these schools. Based on the results, it was concluded that the indicated factors might negatively influence the implementation of mathematics curriculum. As a result, this study recommends that the government should give attention for teachers by providing any support within its capacity, by making fair payment for teachers; and fulfill all the necessary school resource such as teaching aids and computers either by making those within its capability or by purchasing those beyond its ability. Insufficient teaching-learning materials should urgently be solved. These schools should allot five periods for mathematics instead of four periods per week. In addition the bulky nature of grade 11 & 12 mathematics textbooks need to be revised. The researcher suggests further studies have to be carried on factors influencing the implementation of mathematics curriculum which had not been studied in the current study or which might require detail investigations