Original Research Article

The Problems Encompassed in Development of a New Curriculum: A Case of Sesotho Language

Malisema Francina Makoa^1* and R.Lolie Makhubu-Badenhorst²

¹Lesotho College of Education, P.O.Box 234, Thaba-Tseka 550
²Multilingualism Education Project CHED, University of Cape Town Upper Campus; Hoerikwaggo Building, Private Bag X3,
Rondebosch 7701

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: malisema.makoa@gmail.com / mf.makoa@lce.ac.ls
Tel.: +266 58866030

Received: 14 June 2022  I  Accepted: 21 July 2022  I  Published: 27 July 2022  I  Article ID: MRJER22017
Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

Abstract

Curriculum development is important, and necessary especially because education needs to be developed each and every time to respond to the current needs of the society. Alvior (2014,2) says “curriculum development plays a vital role in improving the economy of a country. It also provides answers or solutions to the world’s pressing conditions and problems…” Education must answer for the challenges and the problems the community/society or nations face hence the need for curriculum development. In the development of curriculum, all stakeholders should be involved: parents, teachers, the ministry involved, higher learning institutions and the students. This study is prompted by the new Sesotho curriculum of Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE) in Lesotho. The problem is, in the new curriculum the most important aspects are less considered in the examinations. Teaching of Sesotho Language structure and grammar, “sebopeho-puo” will be affected negatively because of the weight it is given in the examinations. The researcher will collect data from teachers and students through telephonic calls and Whatsapp calls because through this devices the researcher can cover a large area within a very short time. Interviews will be done to Sesotho teachers. The researchers have found that in some schools teachers do not give sebopeho-puo ‘structure and grammar’ enough attention like before.

Keywords: Assessment, Curriculum, ECOL, NCDC, Sesotho grammar