Curriculum Implementation Challenges in Senior Secondary Schools in Nasarawa State

This study examines the challenges confronting curriculum implementation in senior secondary schools in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Curriculum implementation refers to the actual enactment of prescribed learning content, methods, and assessment approaches in classroom practice. Despite the existence of a nationally standardised senior secondary curriculum, significant implementation challenges persist across Nigerian states, shaped by resource constraints, teacher capacity gaps, and inadequate supervisory support. In Nasarawa State, the curriculum-practice gap has been reflected in consistently below-average West African Senior School Certificate Examination results across multiple subjects. A descriptive survey design was employed, administering questionnaires to 240 teachers and 30 principals across 20 senior secondary schools in Lafia, Akwanga, and Keffi educational zones. Curriculum implementation challenges assessed include textbook shortages, teacher subject-matter competence gaps, timetable constraints, examination pressure distortions of planned curriculum, and inadequate laboratory facilities. Regression and descriptive analyses were applied. Results identify textbook shortages, inadequate laboratory and ICT facilities, and teacher competence deficits as the three most severe implementation barriers. Examination pressure was found to narrow curriculum delivery, with teachers prioritising examinable topics at the expense of the broader curriculum. The study concludes that curriculum implementation quality in Nasarawa State is significantly constrained by resource and capacity factors. It recommends that the state secondary education board develop a curriculum support package including textbook distribution, infrastructure rehabilitation, and targeted teacher competence training as an integrated implementation improvement strategy.

Keywords: curriculum implementation, senior secondary school, Nasarawa State, teacher competence, textbook shortage.