Examining Ways of Social Science Curricula on Students' Life Skill Acquisition in Secondary Schools of Mbeya Region

Abstract

This study examined ways through which social science curricula implementation can be employed in enhancing students' acquisition of life skills in community secondary schools of Mbeya region in Tanzania. The study was guided by an objective that aimed to examine ways in which the implementation of social science curricula can enhance students' acquisition of life skills. The study employed an interpretivism research philosophy, interpretivist qualitative research approach and a case study research design. This study had 50 participants in total, including 10 heads of community secondary schools, 20 social science subject teachers and 20 head prefects from selected community secondary schools. Data were gathered using observation and focus group discussion. The study findings were analysed through transcribing field results as acquired by equipment, sorting and synthesizing data into categories and developing themes. The study results found theoretical implementation of social science curricula which does not match with the students' acquisition of life skills. The study concludes that the social science implementation is done through stakeholders like Ministry of education, Science and Technology, teachers, students, parents, education officers and school quality assurance officers to mention a few. The implementation is lacking students' acquisition of life skills. The curricula implementation was found to have no relationship between social science curricula and students acquisition of life skills.