Centrality of the Teacher in Mentorship and Implementation of School Curriculum in Zambia

This paper argues that the classroom teacher should be placed at the centre of all curriculum development efforts. It further argues that most teachers graduate from teacher education programmes ill-prepared to competently implement the curriculum. In doing so the paper focuses on the type of training received at university/college as an impediment to new teacher competence in curriculum implementation. In view of this, this paper advocates that offering school-based mentoring focussed on curriculum implementation makes mentorship of NQTs not only important but a necessity that can help ameliorate the problem. The paper also discusses various local and external forces affecting curriculum development and implementation. The paper concludes that while improving teacher education is one option, school-based new teacher mentorship appears more feasible in the short term. Key words: Teacher mentoring, curriculum design and development, curriculum implementation, newly qualified teacher