Teachers experiences of implementing the standards based curriculum in Ghanaian basic schools

This study explored teachers’ experiences of and perspectives on the implementation of Ghana’s Standards-Based Curriculum (SBC) within basic education. Adopting a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 72 teachers and 24 headteachers selected from public and private schools across the northern, middle and southern zones of the country. Using grounded theory analysis, our findings revealed participants’ dissatisfaction with the implementation preparatory process. They emphasised the hasty nature of the roll-out, insufficient time for adequate and well-structured teacher training as well as the timely provision of teaching and learning resources. They also identified several factors that limit their implementation of the curriculum and recognised the role of peer collaboration and informal networks in navigating implementation demands. The findings provide insights relevant to policy discussion on curriculum implementation and the need for a more coordinated curriculum reform process that meaningfully engages all relevant stakeholders, especially teachers, who are ultimately responsible for implementing the curriculum.