Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore the staff commitment and students' expectations
towards competence-based curriculum implementation. A convergent parallel mixed method
was used to achieve this objective. For the quantitative method, a total of 477 sample
respondents were selected using a proportionate random sampling technique. while for the
qualitative method, 11 participants were selected for the interview and 20 participants for
FGD sample participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique.
Accordingly, for the qualitative method, a total of 31 sample participants were selected
using the purposive sampling technique. The quantitative data were collected through a selfmade
scale for staff commitment while the qualitative data were collected through semistructured
interviews, focus group discussions, and open-ended items. The quantitative data
were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean scores,
and standard deviation while inferential statistics including ANOVA, multiple regression,
and t-test were utilized to compute the data. The finding reveals that, in the sampled
universities, there was no curriculum implementation model to guide instructors in the
implementation process, as a result, instructors are utilizing their teaching learning process
traditionally. It also indicated that there was a lack of awareness regarding the concept and
meaning of CBC among the staff. Most of the students lack appropriate usage of the English
language. CBC contents were not incorporated in the existing subject specific curriculum.
Accordingly, it was concluded that to effectively implement CBC and enhance students
expectations, both academic leaders and instructors need to be equipped with adequate
skills of CBC and to realize the implementation appropriate awareness creation should be in
place and practiced. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made. To
implement CBC effectively, higher education institutions have to incorporate subject specific
CBC in general and core competence-based curriculum contents for all fields of study;
provide adequate training for academic staff in order to implement CBC at their respective
universities. The CBC elements should be identified, defined, and incorporated into the
undergraduate harmonized curriculum so that all undergraduate students will be trained
equally.
