PREDICTORS OF THE BASIC SCHOOL RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN CAPE COAST, GHANA

 

Charles Nyarko Annobil

PhD., Department of Basic Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, Email: annnobilcharles2@gmail.com

 

 

Abstract

The implementation of the Basic school Religious and Moral Education (RME) curriculum involves translating the content of the curriculum into its practical form through combined efforts of teachers, learners, stakeholders as well as usage of resources. This sequential explanatory mixed method design study sought to present both documentary and practical evidences, from the perspective of RME teachers and head teachers, regarding factors predicting implementation of the Basic school Religious and Moral Education (RME) curriculum in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Six research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study using a sample size of 276 people (264 RME teachers and 12 head teachers) selected through the convenience, simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data were gathered from questionnaire, interviews and lesson observations after subjecting them to rigorous pre-testing and validation processes. The questionnaire for the teachers obtained an overall reliability co-efficient of r =.945, the observation checklist indicated a high level of reliability (κ = .785, p < .000) while the interview data were checked for trustworthiness (validity) and dependability (reliability) through some few interviews. Since almost all statistical tests rely upon certain assumptions, assumptions of parametric statistics were examined to ensure the appropriateness of using the multiple linear regressions to explain the level of influence of the variables used. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, charts, tables, means, and standard deviations) were used to analyze the research questions whereas inferential statistics (multiple linear regression) was used in analyzing the research hypothesis. Both the descriptive and multiple regression results showed that school-based (teachers, pupils, head teachers) as well as community-based factors (parents and community resources) individually and in linear combination, contributed to the enactment (implementation) of the RME curriculum in basic schools in the study area. The ANOVA test of statistical significance, the regression coefficients, t-test results as well as partial correlation of the significant factors proved level of influence on implementation by the factors. It was however revealed in the study that lack of in-service training courses, the absence and/or inadequacy of requisite community resources, and failure of some parents in supervising their wards’ learning negatively affected the successful teaching and learning of RME. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that all the necessary processes involved in the RME curriculum implementation, including staff development, regular supervision as well as adequate provision of instructional resources be intensified.

Keywords: Enactment, Influence, Implementation, Religious and Moral Education, Curriculum, Curriculum Implementation.