Effects of Competency-Based Curriculum Planning and Assessment Strategies on the Quality of Learning Outcomes in English Teaching in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of competency-based curriculum planning and assessment strategies and the learning outcomes in English teaching in the Machakos Sub-County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Theory of Visible Learning by John Hattie. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population included 91 primary school head teachers, 2 Curriculum Support Officers, and 364 Teachers of English. The study used simple random sampling to select eleven (11) primary schools in the Machakos Sub-County. A total of eleven (11) head teachers were purposively sampled from the eleven schools, and forty-five (45) grade one to grade six teachers of English were purposively sampled. One curriculum support officer was purposively sampled from among the three educational zones in the Sub-County. The research instruments used in the study included: questionnaires for head teachers, teachers, and Curriculum Support Officers. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages and presented in tabular format. Chi-square tests run using SPSS 27 were used to evaluate the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The findings of the study show that the quality of performance in English was significantly associated with the level of implementation of CBC schemes of work, lesson plans, and assessment strategies. The study recommends that there is a need for some reforms if the CBC is to gain buy-in from different stakeholders. One of the main reforms would be the involvement of teachers and parents in the curriculum development phase.