Teachers’ Perception of the New Competency-Based Science Curriculum in Secondary Schools in Kaduna State

This study investigated secondary school teachers' perceptions of the newly introduced competency-based Science curriculum in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Curriculum reforms demand teacher buy-in and adequate preparation; without these, implementation is likely to remain superficial regardless of the quality of the curriculum document. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of 180 Science teachers selected from secondary schools in Kaduna North, Kaduna South, and Zaria senatorial zones. A validated questionnaire measuring perceptions across four dimensions, namely curriculum clarity, relevance, feasibility, and assessment alignment, was administered. Internal consistency was confirmed at 0.80 using Cronbach's Alpha. Data were analysed with mean scores and one-sample t-test. Results showed that while teachers generally acknowledged the relevance of the competency-based approach to contemporary labour market needs, they expressed significant concerns about their own readiness to implement it, citing insufficient orientation, absence of aligned assessment tools, and limited support materials. Teachers in rural schools reported considerably lower confidence in implementation capacity. Recommendations included mandatory pre-implementation training workshops, provision of teacher guides aligned to the new curriculum, and phased rollout to allow for feedback and adjustment. Keywords: competency-based curriculum, teacher perception, science education, Kaduna State, curriculum reform.