CHALLENGES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW IGBO LANGUAGE CURRICULUM IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This research work was aimed at identifying the challenges of the implementation of the new Igbo language curriculum in secondary schools in Enugu state, Nigeria. The study identified problems in the implementation of the new curriculum in the areas of objectives, methodology, instructional materials and evaluation techniques used by teachers. Five research questions and four hypotheses were posited to guide the researcher in the study. four hundred and fifty secondary school Igbo language teachers selected from one hundred and fifty secondary schools in three education zones of Enugu state constituted the sample for the study. Instruments for data collection were the questionnaire, checklist and observation schedule designed to elicit information from teachers. The data collected were analyzed based on mean scores, percentages and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The information collected indicated that the objectives of teaching the new Igbo language curriculum were being achieved even though most of the resource materials are not available in schools and instructional materials were not adequately used by teachers. The information also indicated that apart from field trip, all the other methodologies namely, lecture, Discovery, project, play and dramatization were being effectively used by teachers. It also indicated that all the evaluative techniques were being used. The ANOVA analysis indicated that the extent of achievement of objectives, adoption of the methodology use of instructional materials and evaluative techniques were independent of teacher qualification. Based on these findings, recommendations were made which included that, teachers should be resourceful. In other words they should improvise the teaching aids to make their lessons interesting to provide motivation for the learners. Teachers should attend workshops, seminars and in-service training to equip them with modern techniques of teaching. Government should provide money to school to purchase the materials that teachers cannot improvise.