IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETENCE BASED ENGLISH CURRICULUM IN TANZANIA SECONDARY SCHOOLS: How far has it been successful?

Abstract

This paper aims at investigating the achievement of competence based syllabus in ordinary level secondary schools in Tanzania with the view to suggest the improvement strategies. The researcher was astonished with continues massive failure of students   in English language after introducing   the syllabus based on communicative competence in 2012. Data were collected   through questionnaires and documentary review.  Three schools were involved   in data collection and 60 students, 20 randomly selected from each school. Theoretical questions and practical questions were about essay writing were given to students. The data were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Common European Frame-work of Reference was used as conceptual frame-work. The results showed that more students were able to answer theoretical questions than practical questions. Therefore most of them were below B1 level as far as CEFRE is concerned.   Grammar was a critical problem. The researcher recommended that more practical exercises should be involved in competence curriculum implementation with combination of grammar too.

Key words; Communicative Competence Language Teaching, Common European Frame – work of Reference, Teaching Essays by Theory and Practice