Authors: Sophia Said Semle (The State University of Zanzibar) and Aley Soud Nassor, PhD (The State University of Zanzibar)
Abstract: This study sought to explore techniques used in teaching practical skills to lower secondary school students in Kondoa District, Tanzania. The purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 20 students and 10 teachers from two public schools. The study used a questionnaire, an interview schedule and focus group discussions as sources of data. Data was treated through descriptive statistics and the thematic approach. Based on the study findings, the study concluded that despite the fact that the ministry of education, science and technology highly advocated the use of Competency based Curriculum, the use of the approach was minimal due to limited instructional resources, limited time and large number of students in the classrooms. As a result, the use of the teacher centered approach dominated the teaching and learning sessions at the expense of demonstration, role play, group discussion and study tour learning strategies. The study recommends a need to provide regular seminars and workshops to teachers for them to realize the importance of applying the competence based approaches and to actually employ the same in the teaching and learning process.