Teachers competencies in evaluation of competency based curriculum among special needs learners in Kenya

Abstract

Assessment and evaluation activities are conducted to determine whether the curriculum content provided to students resulted to gain of knowledge and understanding. With the Kenya implementing the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), not much has been focused on the level of teacher understanding and preparedness towards evaluating special needs learners enrolled in public primary schools. This paper looks at teacher competencies for evaluation of CBC among special needs learners in public primary schools in Kapsaret Sub County, Kenya. The target population involved 83 public primary schools located in the sub county with special needs teachers of the targeted primary schools forming the target population. A sample size of 69 special needs teachers was selected as the sample for the study selected through simple random sampling method. To collect data, questionnaire was used. The analysis of data was done using quantitative and qualitative methods. Research result showed that majority of special needs teachers were not adequately prepared to undertake evaluation and assessment of children with special needs in line with the new curriculum. The lack of adequate understanding and application of formative assessment methods by special needs teachers denied the special needs learners opportunity to acquired competencies and skills as per CBC curriculum. The paper therefore recommends that special needs teachers like other teachers need to be regularly provided with adequate training on different methods of assessment of special needs learners in their classroom. This will ensure that the goals of inclusion are attained hence contributing to special needs learners education growth and development.