Developing a Curriculum Evaluation Framework for Private Primary Schools in the South West Zone

Private primary schools in the South West zone follow varying curriculum approaches including NERDC, British, and blended curricula without consistent evaluation frameworks that enable parents, regulators, and institutions to assess curriculum quality and coherence. This study developed a curriculum evaluation framework specifically designed for private primary schools in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States, South West Nigeria. A professional evaluation framework development methodology was applied, drawing on systematic review of existing curriculum evaluation models including Tyler's objectives model, Scriven's goal-free model, and CIPP evaluation framework, structured consultations with 25 private school proprietors, 10 curriculum specialists, and 8 Lagos State Ministry of Education officials. Document analysis of 30 private school curriculum guides confirmed that 40.0 percent had no formally written curriculum, 35.0 percent used imported curricula without NERDC alignment, and only 25.0 percent had an internal evaluation process. The developed framework encompasses five evaluation dimensions: curriculum alignment with NERDC minimum standards, learning progression coherence, assessment quality, teacher qualification adequacy, and parent and pupil outcomes satisfaction. Each dimension includes measurable indicators and benchmarks. Expert review by nine evaluation and curriculum specialists confirmed the framework's validity. The study recommends adoption of the framework by the Lagos State Private Schools Quality Assurance Unit as a mandatory annual self-evaluation instrument for all registered private primary schools.

Keywords: curriculum evaluation framework, private primary schools, South West Nigeria, curriculum quality assurance, NERDC alignment