ABSTRACT

Education is an important aspect of economic development. The social, economic and political needs of the citizens in a country may be met through the curriculum, however curriculum face challenges in its implementation. The study was carried out to identify the challenges facing the implementation of integrated business studies curriculum in public day secondary schools in Kirinyaga west District, Kenya. The purpose and objectives of the study was to investigate the administrative challenges faced by headteachers, challenges faced by teachers and students in the implementation of IBSC. The study employed the Havelock‟s (1969), Research Development and Diffusion Model. This is an approach where a curriculum innovation is based on research findings and recommendations. The study adopted a descriptive survey design utilizing both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Target Population comprised of 22 principals, 22 business studies teachers, 440 form three business studies students and 22 heads of department in technical subjects. The total population for the study was 506.The schools were stratified according to education zones, and then stratified random sampling using the lottery technique was used to get the 6 schools that were studied, representing 27% of the target population. The sample comprised of 6 principals, 6 H.O.Ds, 6 teachers and 30 IBSC students making a sample of 48 participants. Data was collected using interviews for headteachers and questionnaires for the H.O.Ds, teachers and students. Reliability and validity of the research instruments were determined through a pilot study. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis technique, while quantitive data was analyzed using descriptive statistics which include mean, median and mode and presented in frequency distribution tables and percentages. The study found out that there is inadequate teaching and learning resources such as IBSC textbooks, absence by IBSC teachers is wanting, there isn‟t specific classrooms designated for IBSC, the schemes of work and lesson plans are not adequately prepared, KNEC and KICD syllabus are not in harmony, large form ones and form two IBSC classes, time allocated to teach IBSC is not adequate, abstract and wide IBSC content and difficult language in the IBSC text books. The study concluded that implementation IBSC is facing many challenges which include the following :time allocated for teaching IBSC is not enough and should be increased with one lesson to enable the completion of the syllabus on time, there is inadequate teaching/learning resources, inadequate physical facilities, schemes of work are not prepared on time and most teachers do not prepare lesson plans, KNEC and K.I.C.D syllabuses are not in harmony, large form ones and two classes, IBSC is wide and abstract. IBSC syllabus is not completed on time. IBSC should be reviewed especially the accounting part. The government should employ more IBSC teachers. The IBSC book publishers should simplify the language in textbooks for easy understanding by the students.