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This study investigated the implementation of Vocational Skills Curriculum (VSC) in primary schools in Tanzania to establish the gap between intended and attained curriculum. The study was guided by social constructivism theory. It was conducted in Dodoma City and Mpwapwa District in Dodoma Region, by using qualitative methodology. The study used phenomenological and ethnographic research designs, and involved 200 participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observation, documentary review and questionnaires. The collected data through interviews, observations and documentary reviews were subjected to thematic analysis, while data obtained through questionnaires, were analysed through the use of Tables and Figures by indicating frequencies, percentages and means. The study found that there was an ineffective implementation of VSC. Vocational Skills Subject (VSS) was not taught as scheduled in the vocational skills syllabus. It was also observed that most of the visited schools were found to allocate four lessons to teach VSS on their timetables. However, the actual implementation showed that teachers used as little as only two to three periods per week. It was also found that the majority of VSS teachers were not using the learner-centred approach as suggested in the syllabus. Teachers had negative attitudes and lacked the specific skills and knowledge on the subject. In addition, the findings indicated that most of the selected schools had insufficient teaching and learning resources required for the implementation of VSC. Most schools were found with few teaching and learning materials that were poorly managed due to teachers’ lack of knowledge, skills and interest in using them. It was further found that there was low attainment of VSC objectives among primary school learners in the most visited primary schools as majority of them lacked basic vocational skills competencies for self-advancement and entrepreneurship skills. The study concludes that insufficient resources and ineffective teaching and learning practices were the main reasons of the gap between the intended and attainment of VSC in the primary schools. The study, therefore, recommends among other things, a review of the teachers’ education and professional development for vocational skills teachers. |
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