Teachers' experiences of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement implementation in foundation phase primary schools : Nzhelele East Circuit

Abstract

This research investigated issues teachers face Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) implementation at Foundation Phase primary schools in Nzhelele East Circuit. Curriculum implementation promotes thinking and learning of new things in the teachers’ day to day working environment. Foundation Phase teachers are pillars contributing to the children’s success in future. If children become passive, this passiveness will be reflected in the following stages, namely developmental and progressive stages, through the school system. Republic of South Africa transcended many stage of changes in all different sectors of society since the inception of the new democratic government in April 1994. The curriculum change was done in order to address the concerns, cited by teachers in different schools. Those four concerns were: “complaints about the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), teachers who were overburdened with administration, different interpretations of the curriculum requirements, and poor performance of learners”. In this mini dissertation, the researcher found that implementation the CAPS by teachers is a risk-taking exercise, because teachers were not trained well. The curriculum advisors responsible for training them were not having depth of knowledge of Foundation Phase. The curriculum advisors are there as a result of secondment. The teachers were devoid of capacity of knowledge, values and skills towards the implementation of the CAPS. Some teachers were not having time to improve their qualifications as they were still having Junior Primary Teachers Diploma (JPTD). In presenting this argument, the theoretical framework, constructivism learning theory, was particularly suitable within the area of education in curriculum implementation. Constructivism learning theory refers “to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves; each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning as he or she learns”. The objectives of the study were:- to explore the way in which Foundation Phase teachers experience the execution of their tasks in the implementation of the CAPS; to establish how the resources are used through in the implementation of the CAPS; to determine the type of assistance by School Management Teams (SMTs) in the implementation of the CAPS; and to investigate how Foundation Phase teachers’ understanding and assessment of the CAPS influence their teaching practices of curriculum implementation. This study used a qualitative approach, and the methods used included a focus group interview with foundation phase teachers, individual interviews with heads of departments (HoDs) and school principals (SP), observation, document analysis of the CAPS in Nzhelele East Circuit. This study revealed the teachers’ frustrations and unease regarding curriculum change, assessment, previous policies, and workload, knowledge on the CAPS documents, and training and resources. This research should encourage the Limpopo Education Department to take heed of the responses of the teachers at the sampled schools, as this can easily be rectified through the intervention of the Department by funding the training of teachers in implementing the CAPS. The recommendations should be considered well in the correct implementation of the CAPS. It is also recommended that education specialists from the provincial government be appointed to visit schools in order to assist and evaluate the implementation of curriculum. It is also recommended that the DBE must make a re-training to all Foundation Phase teachers for a week during school vacation. The challenges that are facing the CAPS can be minimal if the recommendations could be adhered to.