This study investigated the pivotal role of teachers in the development of the curriculum in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. It highlights the challenges teachers face in aligning national curriculum policies with local classroom realities, aiming to understand teacher involvement in curriculum development. A case study strategy was used, focusing on four schools in Mpumalanga. The research employed semi-structured interviews involving teachers, Heads of Departments (HODs), principals, a circuit representative, and a provincial representative. This was complemented with the literature review that provided an analysis of existing research on curriculum development and the role of teachers in developing and developed countries.
Data was analysed using thematic analysis, revealing that, although participants acknowledge the importance of teachers’ involvement in curriculum development, their participation is limited to none, due to bureaucratic constraints, insufficient professional development, and lack of resources. Taba's Curriculum Development Model was used to better understand how teachers can effectively contribute to the process. Taba’s model advocate for a bottom-up approach, stressing the significance of teachers’ classroom experiences in creating effective curricula. The model helped identify gaps on teacher involvement in rural areas like Mpumalanga Province in South Africa.
The study’s key findings consolidated the outcomes of the research, providing a cohesive understanding of teachers’ roles in curriculum development and offering practical solutions for improving their involvement. Empirical findings revealed that teachers in Siyabuswa Circuit of Mpumalanga Province experience limited involvement in curriculum development due to hierarchical barriers and insufficient support. Findings further included the disconnect between policy intentions and classroom realities, lack of professional development, and resource limitations. The study confirmed Taba’s Curriculum Development Model, advocating for active teacher participation, but highlighted that teachers were often excluded due to hierarchical barriers.
The study concluded that systemic barriers continued to restrict teacher involvement in curriculum development, emphasising the need for targeted reforms.
Recommendations included enhancing professional development programs, increasing institutional flexibility, and providing adequate resources to support teachers in curriculum design.
The study also suggests directions for future research, including examining regional differences in curriculum development. These measures aimed to bridge the gap between policy and practice, ensuring that teachers could play a central role in shaping effective curricula that address learner needs.
Lolu cwaningo luphenye ngeqhaza elibalulekile lothisha ekuthuthukiseni kukharikhulamu esifundazweni saseMpumalanga, eNingizimu Africa.Iqamisa izinselelo othisha ababhekana nazo ekuhlanganiseni izinqubomgomo zekharikhulamu kazwelonke namaqiniso asendaweni yasekilasini, okuhloswe ngayo ukuqonda ukuzibandakanya kothisha ekuthuthukisweni kwekharikhulamu. Ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo kunikeza ukuhlaziywa kocwaningo olukhona mayelana nokuthuthukiswa kwekharikhulamu kanye neqhaza lothisha emazweni asathuthuka nathuthukile. Kusetshenziswe isu lokufunda ngendaba, eligxile ezikoleni ezine zaseMpumalanga. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise izinhlolokhono ezingahlelekile ezibandakanya othisha, iziNhloko zeMinyango (ama-HOD), othishanhloko, omele isekethe kanye nomele isifundazwe. Idatha yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya okuyindikimba, kwembula ukuthi, nakuba ababambiqhaza bevuma ukubaluleka kokuzibandakanya kothisha ekuthuthukisweni kwekharikhulamu, ukubamba kwabo iqhaza kulinganiselwe ngenxa yezingqinamba zokuphatha, ukuthuthukiswa okunganele kochwepheshe, kanye nokuntuleka kwezinsiza.
Imodeli kaTaba Yokuthuthukiswa Kwekharikhulamu yasetshenziswa ukuze kuqondwe kangcono ukuthi othisha bangaba negalelo kanjani kule nqubo. Imodeli kaTaba yayikhuthaza indlela ebheke phansi, igcizelela ukubaluleka kokuhlangenwe nakho kothisha ekilasini ekwakheni ikharikhulamu ephumelelayo. Lo mfanekiso usize ekuboneni izikhala emibhalweni, ikakhulukazi ukuntuleka kocwaningo ngokubandakanyeka kothisha ezindaweni zasemakhaya njengeMpumalanga. Okutholwe okubalulekile kwalolu cwaningo kuhlanganise imiphumela yocwaningo, kunikeze ukuqonda okuhlangene kweqhaza lothisha ekuthuthukisweni kwekharikhulamu nokunikeza izixazululo ezisebenzayo zokuthuthukisa ukuzibandakanya kwabo. Okutholwe ngokuqina kwembula ukuthi othisha baseSifundazweni saseSiyabuswa esiFundazweni saseMpumalanga babamba iqhaza elincanyana ekuthuthukisweni kohlelo lwezifundo ngenxa yezithiyo zohlelo nokwesekwa okwanele. Okutholakele kuphinde kwahlanganisa nokunqanyulwa phakathi kwezinhloso zenqubomgomo namaqiniso ekilasini, ukuntuleka kokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe, kanye nemikhawulo yezinsiza.
Lolu cwaningo luqinisekisile i-Curriculum Development Model kaTaba, ekhuthaza ukuhlanganyela kothisha ngenkuthalo, kodwa yagqamisa ukuthi othisha bavamise ukukhishwa inyumbazane ngenxa yemingcele yezigaba. Ucwaningo luphethe ngokuthi izithiyo zesistimu ziyaqhubeka nokukhawulela ukuzibandakanya kothisha ekuthuthukisweni kwekharikhulamu, kugcizelela isidingo sezinguquko ezihlosiwe. Izincomo zazihlanganisa ukuthuthukisa izinhlelo zokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe, ukwandisa ukuguquguquka kwesikhungo, kanye nokuhlinzeka ngezinsiza ezanele zokusekela othisha ekwakhiweni kwekharikhulamu. Ucwaningo luphinde luphakamise izikhombisi-ndlela zocwaningo lwangomuso, okuhlanganisa nokuhlola umehluko wesifunda ekuthuthukisweni kwekharikhulamu. Lezi zinyathelo bezihlose ukuvala igebe phakathi kwenqubomgomo nokusebenza, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi othisha bangaba neqhaza elikhulu ekubumbeni izifundo ezisebenza ngempumelelo ezibhekana nezidingo zabafundi.
Hierdie studie het die deurslaggewende rol van onderwysers in die ontwikkeling van die kurrikulum in Mpumalanga Provinsie, Suid-Afrika, ondersoek. Dit beklemtoon die uitdagings wat onderwysers in die gesig stear om nasionale kurrikulumbeleide in lyn te bring met plaaslike klaskamerrealiteite, met die doel om onderwyers se betrokkenheid by kurrikulumontwikkeling te verstaan. Die literatuuroorsig verskaf 'n ontleding van bestaande navorsing oor kurrikulumontwikkeling en die rol van onderwysers in ontwikkelende en ontwikkelde lande. ’n Gevallestudiestrategie is gebruik, met die fokus op vier skole in Mpumalanga
Die navorsing het semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gebruik wat onderwysers, departementshoofde (HOD's), skoolhoofde, 'n kringverteenwoordiger en 'n provinsiale verteenwoordiger betrek het. Data is ontleed met behulp van tematiese analise, wat aan die lig gebring het dat, alhoewel deelnemers die belangrikheid van onderwysers se betrokkenheid by kurrikulumontwikkeling erken, hul deelname beperk is as gevolg van burokratiese beperkings, onvoldoende professionele ontwikkeling en gebrek aan hulpbronne. Taba se Kurrikulumontwikkelingsmodel is gebruik om beter te verstaan hoe onderwysers effektief tot die proses kan bydra. Taba se model het gepleit vir 'n onder-na-bo-benadering, wat die belangrikheid van onderwysers se klaskamerervarings in die skep van effektiewe kurrikulums beklemtoon.
Die model het gehelp om leemtes in die literatuur te identifiseer, veral die gebrek aan navorsing oor onderwyserbetrokkenheid in landelike gebiede soos Mpumalanga. Die studie se sleutelbevindinge het die uitkomste van die navorsing gekonsolideer, wat 'n samehangende begrip van onderwysers se rolle in kurrikulumontwikkeling verskaf het en praktiese oplossings bied om hul betrokkenheid te verbeter. Empiriese bevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat onderwysers in die Siyabuswa-distrik van Mpumalanga-provinsie beperkte betrokkenheid by kurrikulumontwikkeling ervaar as gevolg van hiërargiese hindernisse en onvoldoende ondersteuning. Bevindinge het verder die ontkoppeling tussen beleidsvoornemens en klaskamerrealiteite, gebrek aan professionele ontwikkeling en hulpbronbeperkings ingesluit.
Die studie het Taba se kurrikulumontwikkelingsmodel bevestig, wat vir aktiewe onderwyserdeelname gepleit het, maar het beklemtoon dat onderwysers dikwels
uitgesluit is weens hiërargiese hindernisse. Die studie het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat sistemiese struikelblokke voortgaan om onderwysers se betrokkenheid by kurrikulumontwikkeling te beperk, wat die behoefte aan geteikende hervormings beklemtoon. Aanbevelings sluit in die verbetering van professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme, die verhoging van institusionele buigsaamheid en die verskaffing van voldoende hulpbronne om onderwysers in kurrikulumontwerp te ondersteun. Die studie stel ook rigtings vir toekomstige navorsing voor, insluitend die ondersoek van streeksverskille in kurrikulumontwikkeling. Hierdie maatreëls het ten doel gehad om die gaping tussen beleid en praktyk te oorbrug, om te verseker dat onderwysers 'n sentrale rol kan speel in die vorming van effektiewe kurrikulums wat leerderbehoeftes aanspreek.
