Eric Douglas Kalanda – Department of Teacher Technical and Instructor Education

Mohammed Isiko – District Education Officer Namutumba District Local Government

Email: mmwaiswa@kyu.ac.ug

Abstract: Although Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) reforms aim at re-orienting the teaching-learning process in schools from imparting knowledge to developing competencies, its implementation is influenced by environments of the schools. This research sought to explore how the rural school environment influences the implementation of CBC in primary schools of Namutumba District in Uganda. Based on Curriculum Enactment Theory, complemented by constructivist and experiential learning approaches, a qualitative case study approach was employed in two rural government-aided primary schools. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, and document analysis conducted among 50 respondents comprising of head teachers, teachers, learners, and community members. The results indicate that the CBC implementation in rural schools is a dynamic process of balancing both constraining factors and opportunities presented by the school environment. Though the lack of infrastructure, instructional materials, professional support, and large-class sizes constrained the consistent use of learner-centred teaching approaches and competence-based assessment, teachers and community improvised and made use of the learners’ experiences and local knowledge. Cross-case analysis further showed that school leadership, teacher agency, and community partnerships mediated how rural schools responded to curriculum demands. The study challenges deficit-oriented understandings of rural education by demonstrating that rural schools are not merely disadvantaged spaces where curriculum reforms encounter barriers, but adaptive educational ecosystems where teachers, learners, and communities negotiate and reconstruct curriculum possibilities. The study contributes to curriculum implementation by highlighting the importance of context-responsive approaches that address structural inequalities while recognizing the social and pedagogical resources embedded within rural learning environments.