Challenges Facing the Implementation of the New Secondary School Curriculum in Malawi

In its recent attempt to improve the quality of education in Malawi, the Malawian Ministry of Education, Science and Technology changed its secondary school curriculum; the new curriculum began to be implemented in 2017. So far, little is known about the challenges facing the implementation of this new secondary school curriculum. It is against this background of a knowledge gap that this study was undertaken: to investigate in depth the challenges facing the implementation of the new curriculum from the perspectives of school management, and ways of overcoming those challenges to improve the implementation. The study adopted the concerns-based adoption model. This model describes the process of change experienced by those at school level attempting to implement the new curriculum. The theory is concerned with the effect of the nature of the investment in people, time and resources as they pertain to the implementation of educational innovations. The study was conducted in four secondary schools in Lilongwe district in Malawi. A qualitative research method was used, employing a case study design. The participants were four head teachers, four deputy head teachers and 12 heads of department from the sample schools. Data were collected through interviews, document review and classroom observation of heads of departments’ lessons in order to provide methodological triangulation. Data were analysed using the inductive thematic content analysis method. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the new secondary school curriculum faces multiple challenges, the main ones being ineffective orientation training for curriculum implementers; inadequate numbers of qualified teachers, especially in science subjects; insufficient teaching and learning materials; too few and inadequately equipped science laboratories; and discrepancy in the administration of continuous assessment. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for better implementation of the curriculum.