LEARNER-CENTRED APPROACHES FOR CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Teachers' perceptions and challenges

The study reported in this paper investigated perceptions of secondary school teachers about LCA and challenges that constrain them from using Learner-Centred Approaches (LCA) to implement curriculum in schools. Through holistic case study research design, the study used questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 40 teachers (i.e. 10 from each school) from four schools in Ilala District in Dar es Salaam Region. Findings showed that generally teachers have positive perceptions about using LCA in curriculum implementation. Challenges such as large class size, overloaded syllabi, lack of relevant teaching and learning materials such as books in the school library, limited access to computers and internet and lack of regular in-service training for teachers in schools were identified as constrains for teachers to use LCA in classrooms. As a result, classroom observations established that chalk and talk is the most preferred approach by majority of teachers in schools. It is recommended that efforts should be made by relevant stakeholders to address these challenges to allow teachers to use LCA in curriculum implementation in secondary schools