Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives On Contribution of Remedial Tuition in Implementing Integrated Business Studies Curriculum in Secondary Schools in Ugenya District, Kenya.

Abstract

Remedial tuition is one of the mitigating strategies used by teachers to address the challenge of implementing the broad integrated Business Studies curriculum in secondary schools in Kenya. It is conducted with the view to enhancing content coverage and to improve performance. Sometimes it has been abused by teachers who use it as a means to make extra income. The government has also cast aspersions on its real worth through policy regulations. Contribution of remedial tuition in implementing Business studies curriculum in secondary schools has not been conclusively researched. The purpose of this study was to establish teachers’ and students’ perspectives on contribution of remedial tuition in implementing integrated Business Studies curriculum in secondary schools in Ugenya district, Kenya. Objectives of the study were: to find out teachers’ and students’ perspectives on contribution of remedial tuition in achieving Business Studies’ curriculum objectives; to establish teachers’ and students’ perspectives on contribution of remedial tuition instructional methods to academic achievement in Business Studies; and to find out teachers’ and students’ perspectives on availability and use of curriculum resources during remedial tuition in Business Studies in secondary schools. The conceptual framework was based on achievement of Business studies curriculum objectives, contribution of remedial tuition instructional methods and availability and use of relevant curriculum resources as independent variables while implementation of Business Studies curriculum was the dependent variable. The study used descriptive survey design. The study population was 48 teachers of Business Studies, 747 form four students of Business studies and 1 District Quality Assurance and Standards Officer (DQASO). Saturated sampling technique was used to sample 673 students, 42 teachers and 1 DQASO. Instruments of data collection were; Questionnaires for teachers and students, Interview Schedule for DQASO, Lesson Observation Schedule and Focused Group Discussion guide. Reliability of instruments was determined by a pilot study involving 6 teachers and 74 students using test-re-test method that yielded ‘r’=0.83 for the questionnaire, r=0.80 for observation schedule and focused group discussion guide (r=0.73). Validity of research instruments was determined by supervisors who are experts in curriculum studies. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics that included frequency counts, percentages and means. Qualitative data from open ended questionnaire items, interviews and focused group discussions were transcribed and organised into emergent themes as per study objectives then reported. The key finding of the study was that remedial tuition contributes strongly in implementing Business studies curriculum by fostering content coverage and student participation in learning activities necessary to achieve curriculum objectives. The study therefore recommends that remedial tuition should be institutionalized in schools and be formally regulated through teacher performance appraisal mechanisms.