Challenges of teaching the expanded Kiswahili syllabus in secondary schools: a study of selected secondary schools in Trans – Nzoia County, Kenya.

Abstract

This study was an investigation on the challenges of teaching the expanded Kiswahili syllabus. The objectives of the study were to investigate the manageability of the expanded Kiswahili syllabus, to determine whether the time allocated to the teaching of Kiswahili was adequate, to find out the challenges of teaching the integrated Kiswahili syllabus, to investigate effects of the second teaching subject on the teaching of Kiswahili and teacher attitude towards teaching the expanded syllabus. The study was guided by the input and output theory on second language acquisition by Krashen [1985]. The theory states that effective language learning takes place when there is adequate interaction between the teacher and the learner through „negotiated input and output‟. The study was carried out in Trans – Nzoia west district in Trans- Nzoia county in Kenya. The district has thirty three secondary schools comprising of three for boys only, five for girls only and twenty five mixed schools. The target population consisted of all principals, teachers in charge of academics in schools and teachers of Kiswahili in the schools. The sample population was selected using stratified sampling because the schools were of different categories thus; two for girls only, one for boys only and eight mixed to arrive at a ratio of 2:1:8 leading to a total of Ten schools. The ten schools were randomly selected from the thirty three using simple random sampling. The research instruments included questionnaires and interview schedules. Collected data was analyzed to show the challenges of teaching the expanded Kiswahili syllabus. The data showed that teachers faced various challenges such as; heavy workload, inadequate time and lack of skills in teaching the integrated Kiswahili syllabus. These factors contributed negatively to the teacher attitude towards teaching of Kiswahili. The study recommends that the government employs more teachers of Kiswahili to reduce teacher workload, curriculum planners to review the time allocated to Kiswahili and if possible increase it. Teachers of Kiswahili to undergo regular in-service courses on integrated teaching.Similarly,teachers of Kiswahili need to train in Kiswahili language and literature and not Kiswahili and a second teaching subject.