Policy change and curriculum alignment : exploring the perceptions of language department heads in Swaziland’s underprivileged schools

Abstract

The notion of a curriculum that is relevant, aligned and properly implemented has prevailed in Swaziland as indicated by the change from a content-led curriculum to a skills-driven one. The process of curriculum alignment as being the cornerstone of educational relevance and development has prevailed since the country’s independence. In the 21stCentury, the process culminated in the development and implementation of the Swaziland General Certificate of Secondary Education curriculum at senior secondary school level. This thesis traces the process of ensuring that the SGCSE curriculum is aligned in local contexts through descriptive analyses of the critical post-implementation developments of eight schools in the Shiselweni region. The perceptions of language heads of departments (HoDs) in underprivileged settings are described. Established constructs for the curriculum to be aligned in the contexts are reviewed and local language department heads’ perceptions on curriculum alignment are analysed. The strengths and shortfalls of their attempts in aligning the curriculum in their contexts of implementation are highlighted. Recommendations for future development are then suggested. The purpose of the study was to describe the perceptions on policy change and curriculum alignment of language department heads from underprivileged schools in Swaziland. An examination of their documents showed that the HoDs applauded curriculum alignment. After interviews, it was revealed that the HoDs viewed alignment of the curriculum in the local context to be a strategy of ensuring that the curriculum was successful in the context of implementation. Language department heads in the schools believed that the government had a major role to play in ensuring institutional commitment towards the directives that the government itself was issuing, before the school principals could do anything. The HoDs also believed that there was a need for administrative support in the form of support from the principals of the schools, followed therein by a fundamental need for cross-departmental cooperation and support from the community within which the schools are located. Departmental teamwork was also considered essential for success. It was therefore concluded that aligning the curriculum was extremely frustrating in that while the HoDs were aware of the local needs of students, it was also clear that local curriculum decision-making could not take place effectively without external support from the governing body, the Ministry of Education. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education should deal directly with the HoDs with regard to issues relating to curriculum interpretation and implementation.