Management of Competency-Based Curriculum: Secondary School Student Teachers’ Experiences in Northern Uganda
Keywords:
Competency-Based Curriculum; instructional leadership; curriculum management.Abstract
This study synthesized the experiences of student teachers deployed across selected secondary schools in Northern Uganda. Specifically, it examined the administrative support provided to student teachers and the challenges they encountered during the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, data was collected from 151 Bachelor of Science with Education student teachers through reflective journals and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis revealed variability in school-level support, including limited orientation, inconsistent mentorship, irregular professional development and weak instructional supervision. Findings indicate that insufficient administrative support exacerbates the challenges, limiting student teachers’ ability to apply learner-centered pedagogy, conduct continuous assessment and facilitate experiential learning. The study concludes that robust administrative structures, structured mentorship, sustained professional development, adequate resource provision and proactive community engagement are critical for ensuring fidelity in CBC implementation. These insights offer evidence-based guidance for policymakers, school leaders and teacher educators to strengthen school-level support and improve competency-oriented teaching and learning in resource-constrained contexts.
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