Investigating the challenges faced by schools in teaching and learning of Ordinary Level Biology. Case of Siabuwa cluster of schools, Binga.

Author

Chawarura, Bothwell.

Title

Investigating the challenges faced by schools in teaching and learning of Ordinary Level Biology. Case of Siabuwa cluster of schools, Binga.

Abstract

The study sought to investigate the challenges faced by schools in the teaching and learning of Ordinary Level Biology in Binga District, Matabeleland North. The objectives of the study were to investigate the availability of human and physical infrastructure in schools (Siabuwa, Kalungwizi and Malube) for teaching and learning of biology, to find out the effect of large class size in teaching and learning of biology, to establish whether student’s attitude towards biology affect teaching and learning and to recommend possible solutions to the challenges faced by school in teaching and learning of biology. The research was both quantitative and qualitative in nature where both questionnaires and focus group discussion were used as instruments to gather information. A sample of 30 biology students and 3 biology teachers was extracted from a study population of 120 subjects. Data was presented and analysed in the form of tables, pie charts and bar graph through the use of Microsoft Excel. The major findings of the study were that, there is critical shortage of biology teachers as well as infrastructure in Binga schools. There is also shortage of learning materials such as textbooks and biology apparatus for carrying out biology experiments. The large class size is also creating a host of class control problems and unbearable workloads for the biology teachers. The majority of students in Binga has negative attitude towards learning of biology. These conditions then compromise a meaningful teaching and learning of ordinary level biology. The conclusion and recommendations were also discussed. The researcher recommend that, schools should provide adequate learning equipment and the teacher pupil ratios experienced in schools need to be reduced in order to reduce the workload of biology teachers and also to ensure effective teaching and learning in schools.

Date

2021

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Challenges faced by schools

Teaching and learning of Ordinary level Biology

Siabuwa Cluster of School

Binga

Supervisor

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