Effectiveness of Support Systems in Implementing the Reviewed Curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Arusha District Council, Tanzania

Leah, M. Ngailunya & Kennedy Omondi Otieno
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Arusha
Email: lngailunya@gmail.com/ omondiken2016@gmail.com

Abstract: The study investigated the effectiveness of support systems in implementing the reviewed curriculum in public primary schools. The objectives were to; determine the effectiveness of the support systems in implementing the reviewed curriculum and suggest measures to improve support systems for effective implementation of reviewed curriculum in public primary schools. Lewin’s change theory and Convergent mixed methods design guided the study. The population comprised of 48 head teachers, 1300 teachers and 5 quality assurers. The sample size consisted of 142 (10 head teachers, 130 teachers and 5 SQAs) respondents. Head teachers were obtained through purposive sampling and 130 teachers through stratified sampled while 5 SQA were obtained through simple random sampling. Questionnaires and interview guide were used to collect data. Validity was established through expert judgments whereas reliability for quantitative instrument TQ; r=0.824 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha. Credibility of qualitative instruments was enhanced through triangulation. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data and results were presented in tables where qualitative data were analyzed thematically alongside research questions and presented in narrative forms. The study found out that support systems for the implementation of the reviewed curriculum vary considerably in quality, accessibility, and effectiveness. In conclusion, teachers feel encouraged, better equipped through professional development and access to teaching materials however, systemic weaknesses such as inconsistent training quality and poor communication that limit full effectiveness should be addressed. The study recommends that stakeholders in education should provide adequate support systems and continuous professional development which are mandatory and equitably accessible across all schools.