Assessment of Primary School Teachers’ Competency in Curriculum Planning and Lesson Design in Osun State

Teacher competency in curriculum planning and lesson design directly determines instructional quality in Nigerian classrooms, and identifying specific competency gaps among primary school teachers in Osun State provides a foundation for targeted professional development programming. This study assessed primary school teachers' competency in curriculum planning and lesson design in Osogbo and Ife Central Local Government Areas, Osun State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed, with questionnaires and structured observation checklists administered to 200 primary school teachers. Competency dimensions assessed included knowledge of scheme of work preparation, lesson plan structure, learning objective formulation, and assessment planning. Lesson plan reviews were conducted for 60 teachers. Results showed that complete lesson plan preparation was practised by 48.5 percent of teachers. Learning objective specification using measurable action verbs was achieved by 32.0 percent. Assessment activities aligned with lesson objectives appeared in 27.0 percent of reviewed plans. Competency scores were significantly lower among teachers with more than 15 years of experience compared to those with fewer than 5 years, suggesting declining practice standards with seniority (p < 0.05). The study concludes that curriculum planning competency among Osun State primary teachers shows significant weaknesses particularly in objective formulation and assessment integration. Recommendations include a structured curriculum planning refresher programme, school-based peer review of lesson plans, and alignment of teacher appraisal with lesson design quality indicators. Keywords: curriculum planning, lesson design, teacher competency, primary school, Osun State