CHALIMBANA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

NAME : KUFUNA KAPELWA

STUDENT ID : 2104138032

PROGRAM : PRIMARY DEGREE

COURSE CODE : 4100

STUDY AREA : INTERGRATED SCIENCE

METHODOLOGY.

QUESTION:
Q1. 2013 curriculum framework was outcome based curriculum while the 2023 curriculum
framework is a competence based curriculum. explain clearly between an outcome based
curriculum and competence based curriculum. State the advantage of the competence based
curriculum.

Q2. The National Science Centre has mandate to promoting STEM education in Zambia.
Explain clearly the role of national science centre in promoting STEM education.

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The rapid and intricate changes in the labour industry in the global community in the last
decades such as technological advancements have brought about significant challenges and
novel responsibilities especially to the field of curriculum development and education. The
past education traditionally thinking of acquiring as much knowledge as possible has hence
been overtaken by the new task of modern society which is exposed to an immense amount of
knowledge and information. The new challenge in education is therefore to select the highest
quality of knowledge and make effective use of it. Thus, a curriculum being a means through
which education systems help its citizens acquire desirable knowledge, skills, values and
attitudes, must seek to overcome the narrow-minded past of traditional syllabi or written
plans and to focus on providing learners with the ability to acquire, develop and apply
knowledge, values and attitudes which should lead to the utilization of skills. Hence this
assignment will explain clearly between an outcome based curriculum and competence based
curriculum and state the advantage of the competence based curriculum. Further will also
look at the mandate of national science centre in promoting STEM education in Zambia and
explain clearly the role of national science centre in promoting STEM education.

In 2013, the Ministry of General Education in Zambia adopted a Competency-Based or

OutcomesBased Education (OBE) approach to learning. The adoption meant a move from the
Content-Based education which the country had been using since its political independence in
1964. Hence in 2013, the development of a competency based curriculum was initiated and
was finalized in 2017 together with its implementation. A competency-based curriculum
seeks to link education to the real life experiences as it helps learners acquire knowledge,
skills, values and attitudes to access, criticize, analyse and practically apply them to reality. In
this regard, learners are provided with practical experiences during the teaching and learning
processes that are likely to help them gain life skills. In fact, Mulenga and Kabombwe
(2019:124) rightly observed as they reviewed the competency-based curriculum
developments in some parts of the world that: There seemed to be a very common element
among all the countries that adopted the competency based curriculum that the education
system was not responding to the developmental needs of the countries since learners lacked
appropriate skills and applicable knowledge.

The two terms, Competency-based education and Outcome-based education are synonymous.
In other words, they mean one and the same thing as it will be seen in their historical
background.

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A competency - based curriculum (CBC) is a complex and multilayered phenomenon and
thus it requires educationists, teachers and society to be aware and knowledgeable of its
principles so that they can understand and appreciate it if it is to be effectively implemented.
Jansen (1998) warned that the language of innovation associated with OBE can be too
complex, confusing and at times, contradictory. Chisholm (2007) confirmed that in South
Africa for instance, the level of understanding of the competency/ outcomes based curriculum
was compromised by the complexity of terminologies used in relation to curriculum
implementation. It was therefore, difficult for most teachers to give meaning to competency
based policies through their classroom practices. Jansen (1998) argued that the other
challenge is that OBE policy in South Africa was implicated in problematic claims and
assumptions about the relationship between curriculum and society. Thus, one of the
criticisms leveled against OBE is that the language associated with OBE-based curriculum
reform is sometimes too complex and difficult for some educators and teachers to identify
with (Jansen, 1998). Additionally, in other countries where competency-based curriculum has
been used, schools perceived outcomes as checklists while others thought of them as learning
targets or mastery outcomes. That being the case, it would be significant at this point to draw
a distinction between the terms competence and competency as a way of enriching the
understanding of a competency-based curriculum.

In order to have a clear understanding of the meaning of competency as it is used in

education and curriculum development, it is important to make a distinction between the
terms competence and competency. The terms competence and competency are sometimes
confused and misused in the literature. These terms have been defined from several points of
view and a lot of time has been spent on finding accurate definitions and distinctions between
competence/competences and competency/competencies (Hoffman, 1999). Armstrong (2005)
explained that whilst competency is a person-related concept, competence is a work related
concept. Put more elaborately, Kouwenhoven (2003) tried to give a comprehensive definition
of competency as the capability to choose and apply an integrated combination of knowledge,
skills and attitudes with the intention to successfully accomplish a task in a particular context
where motivation, self-confidence, and willpower are part of the context; and on the other
hand the term competence is described as the capacity to accomplish ‘up to a set standard’ the
key occupational tasks that characterize a specified profession. Thus, competency is defined
as the necessary knowledge, skills, experience and attributes to carry out defined functions
effectively, whilst competence means those things that a person, in a particular profession,

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must be good at in meeting the demands of an organization. (Mackay, 2003). Therefore,
competences are usually job or role-specific (Whiddett & Hollyforde, 2003). It is for this
reason that in relation to education and curriculum development the word “competency” is
used as per the definition given by Whiddett & Hollyforde (2003), where competency is the
broader term that refers to ability based on acquired knowledge, skills, developed values and
attitudes. A review of the historical development of competency-based education will help to
shade more light on the understanding of competency-based curriculum and education.

Let us look at What is different about competency-based education? Competency-

Based Education (CBE) differs in several ways from Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). The
former seeks the achievement of learner improvement (regardless of outcome) while the latter
seeks course or institutional achievements, such as grades, degree completion, or
certification. These alternative forms of education place different emphasis on the role and
positioning of assessment. They differ in the determinants of efficient operation.
Consequently, they focus on different learning objectives and what is measured to indicate
the accomplishment of objectives. Perhaps most essentially, CBE and OBE differ in what is
considered a successful education program. Smith J. J. (2010).

CBE is guided by formative assessments based on valid predictors of job performance.

Recognizing their grounding in objective learning outcomes, these assessments are referred to
as criterion-referenced tests. Conversely, OBE is usually based on valid classification of
learners into groups, e.g., letter grades or certified/non-certified, based on designated score
ranges. Because they are comparing a learner with subjective distinctions, they are referred to
as norm-referenced tests. Brady, L. (2006).
CBE guided formative assessments enable “teaching-to-the-test” to ensure learners can
accomplish all the task objectives. Thus, the focus shifts to personalizing the educational
experience in order to increase the number of the capable individuals who can perform the
work. CBE instruction is driven by embedded assessments within each learning module that
are designed to accurately identify and eliminate the obstacles to the development of
competency. Brady, L. (2006).
On the other hand, OBE guided summative assessments, common in most classrooms today,
enable “testing-what-was-taught” to ensure the most qualified individuals are selected
through graded differentiation of achievements within a prescribed timeframe. The effect of
this selection focus is to reduce the number of the qualified individuals in a competency

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domain to only those scoring above a “cutoff” on summative credentialing exams. OBE
defines success as the number of individuals who obtained minimum proficiency in the time
allotted – or student success rates. Bowden, J. A. (1997).
Whereas OBE focuses on what was understood, conceived and/or applied in order to
recognize achievement, CBE focuses on what was misunderstood, misconceived, or
misapplied in order to recognize readiness to learn subsequent material. CBE measures the
results of learning where OBE measures the results of instruction. The effect of a focus on
instructional outcomes is to reduce the use of instructional programs that fail to produce
mastery – the measure of learning success. In CBE, assessment is formative, precedes or
drives, and is embedded in instruction; whereas, in OBE, assessment is summative, occurring
after learning, and often as an after-thought in instructional design. Bowden, J. A. (1997).
CBE seeks to improve efficiency of learning where OBE seeks to improve efficiency of
instruction. Outcomes-based instructional design is focused on the material to be taught with
assessments designed to measure the learning objective of assimilating the content
transmitted. Each learner is scrutinized to determine if they can provide the minimum number
of correct answers. The efficiency of information transmission is measured by the number of
individuals achieving completion of the course or degree program in the expected amount of
time, e.g. 4-6 years for an undergraduate degree. This focus on efficient information
transmission minimizes the time and cost investment in limited instructional resources (talent
and technology). The trade-off is that not all learners will achieve proficiency of
understanding or competence in application in the time provided. Smith J. J. (2010).

Conversely, the learning objective of CBE is mastery of each concept, action, or judgment
required by a competence domain. The mastery threshold determines the optimal content to
be fully comprehended and applied. Each instructional module is scrutinized to determine if it
possesses the minimal level of correct instruction necessary to eliminate misunderstanding,
misconception and misapplication of course material. The efficiency of each individual’s
learning curve is measured by the breadth of mastery achieved by the learners in the time
provided. The trade-off is that the economic basis of education must shift from seat time
(credit hour) to learning time (credentials achieved). In sum, success in OBE is measured by
how quickly and how many individuals complete the course while CBE is measured by how
quickly and how many requisite capabilities are mastered. Smith J. J. (2010).

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 Having looked at the difference between an outcome based curriculum and
competence based curriculum, will now look at the advantage of advantage of the
competence based curriculum. Competence based curriculum aims at embracing all learners
in schools. Spady and Marshall (1991:67) further explained the focus of CBE that it is based
on three fundamental premises that; (a) all learners can learn and succeed but not on the same
day or in the same way, (b) success breeds success and that, (c) schools control the conditions
of success. Competencies are composed of four elements namely; knowledge, skills, values
and attitudes. Knowledge: Tomlinson (1995:96) defined knowledge as, ‘a more or less lasting
representation of reality. Humans may possess it in a variety of forms as visual, verbal,
concrete or symbolic. When it is knowledge of processes, how things work, we tend to call it
understanding’. From knowledge curriculum developers select content which is the subject
matter of the teaching and learning process. Fraser et al (1991:14) explained that knowledge
gained through meaningful learning content enables the learner to interpret aspects of reality
and to establish his/her own perspective on reality; thus, ‘transfer of knowledge implies more
than the transfer of related facts; but it involves the acquisition of insight and understanding
in a functional manner’. Since the OBE approach attempts to effect a shift away from the
content-based approach of the past, its primary aim is not only to increase the general
knowledge of the learner, but to develop their skills, attitudes and values as well. Schoeman
(2003:5) stated that, although knowledge of content remains of importance, more significance
is now attributed to how learners utilize the knowledge acquired in the classroom than to
whether they know all the facts off by heart, memorization. Schoeman (2003) further
explained that content is still important, but is only of value if it can be used to develop the
skills, values and influence the attitudes of learners needed for success after they leave school
or have completed their training at a specific level.

According to Dean (1996:62-66) ‘skills, in contrast to knowledge, are more obviously

about knowing how to do something’. If learners are to become independent, it is essential
that school teaches them the skills of study. These skills include for 123 instance planning,
making judgements and hypotheses, collecting information from a variety of sources,
observation, discussion with other people, making notes, interpretation, evaluation, selection
and organization of material, and making and evaluating presentations. Life Skills for
instance are abilities for adopting positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal
effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. These include; livelihood skills
which could be referred to as vocational or practical or productive or survival skills, Practical

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health related skills, Expressive skills for instance sports, music and art, Literacy skills,
Numeracy and Mathematical skills; and Psychosocial life skills which are skills related to
behaviour and interaction with other people and the environment (MoGE, 2013a). Values and
Attitudes: the inculcation of sound values and attitudes is a primary goal of the Zambian 2013
Revised Curriculum. In the Teachers’ Curriculum Implementation Guide (TCIG) the
Ministry of General Education (2013b: 3) stated that ‘values are an essential element of the
curriculum’. The aspirations of the kind of society the Zambians would want, depend upon
learners developing appropriate values and attitudes. Values are grouped under four headings
so that teachers can easily identify opportunities for exploring and developing them in lessons
and plan for appropriate activities. It is important that learners have a set of values which will
encourage them to strive for personal excellence build positive relationships with others,
become good citizens and celebrate their faith and respect the diversity of beliefs of others. In
the Zambian curriculum framework for instance some of the values that are listed include
excellence, innovation, inquiry and curiosity, diversity, equity and empathy citizenry,
community and participation, ecological sustainability, honesty and integrity respect and
honour, faith in god, love, professionalism, discipline, tolerance, patriotism and hard work. It
is learners’ values that shape their attitudes. Values are reflected in personality and behaviour
and they have a powerful influence on the life chances of every learner. To help learners
understand these values and build commitment to them, teachers should plan for them to be
incorporated into learning activities. Once these values are appreciated by learners, then their
attitudes will follow. All this is very good to have in a competency-based curriculum
however; the real test depends on the effectiveness of the implementation process. The
success of a competency-based curriculum will very much depend on how teachers go about
assessing learners and how they use the assessment results to improve learning.

Let now discuss the role of national science centre in promoting STEM education.
Before going into our discussion let look at what is STEM. STEM stands for Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is a curriculum based on the idea of educating
students in four specific disciplines Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in
coherence instead of in isolation. STEM education provides opportunities for students to be
able to solve problems, to be innovators, inventors, self-confident, logical thinkers, and
technologically literate citizens. It gives a skill set that governs the way we think and behave.
Merging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM education helps us to

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solve the challenges the world faces today. Fraser, W. J., Loubser, C.P. & Van Rooy, M.P.
(1991).

Why is STEM is important? The 21st century job market requires a new set of skills,
and there is more emphasis on STEM skills. Industrialisation and economic diversification
require knowledge of Mathematics and Science. STEM fosters creativity and critical thinking
in young people to enable them work in a competitive world and bring about sustaianable
development and improve national competitiveness in the global economy. Therefore, STEM
education aims at giving students skills that make them more employable and ready to meet
the current demands in a knowledge-based society.

National Science Centre is mandated with the responsibility of promoting and upgrading the
teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Directorate engages in various activities that include;
research, in-service training of STEM teachers & teacher educators, co-ordination of STEM
subject associations, designing & installing Laboratories, provision of library services,
production of supplementary reading materials as well as low cost teaching & learning aids.
Dean, J. (1996).

Enhancing and upgrading the teaching and learning of SMT and related subjects in schools
and colleges of education. Design, development, and production of cost-effective teaching
and learning aids/materials. In-service training of SMT teachers/teacher educators in schools
and colleges. Research, in pedagogy & teaching/learning materials to inform SMT policy.
ICT development and Maintenance. Once this is done it enables the STEM to be successful.
Boer, P. & Nieuwenhuis, A. F. M. (2002).

Develop and review science, mathematics, and technology education policy. Design, develop,
produce, and maintain STEM teaching and learning models, apparatus and equipment.
Orient teachers and lecturers on the use of new STEM materials and equipment. Conduct
appropriate research on topical issues in STEM. Develop SMT pedagogical approaches to
ensure effective teaching and learning. Capacity build teachers and lecturers in the new
STEM pedagogical approaches. Promote the teaching and learning of STEM in schools and
colleges of education. Armstrong, M. (2005).

National Science centre should ensure that the government should invest in Building. Many
scholars have stated that if education authorities in the country do not invest in building

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capacity in STEM, progress towards attaining sustainable development will remain a
challenge. It should also make sure that more teachers of science are recruited. According to
the 2016 report by a parliamentary committee on Education, Science and Technology the
committee was informed that the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) was a challenge in Zambia because of a shortage of teachers,
especially at the secondary school level. The report went on to state that the decline in the
recruitment of science teachers in Zambia was particularly evident and stemmed from the low
number of students with scientific backgrounds who were able to pursue teaching after
completing secondary schools. This had created a cycle of stagnation in the field, and this
cycle continues to hinder the advancement of Science and Technology in the country.
Deacon, R. & Parker, B. (1999).

National science centres should make sure that library in school are successfully set up;
library books for all subjects are purchased, and these include Pupil’s textbooks and
Teacher’s handbooks for upper and middle basic levels. A science laboratory are also
successfully set up, with laboratory equipment required for Chemistry, Physics, Biology and
Mathematics topics. The school was further provided with five modern Computers. After
completion, the centre serves as a model and demonstrated the significance of investing in
Science and Mathematics education. Baseline information on pupil performance will be
collected, and future performance monitored and evaluated. This will be used to assess the
impact of the centre of excellence intervention and help to generate evidence-based policy
advice to government on matters of science and mathematics education. Brady, L. (2006).

In conclusion, the competency - based curriculum may appear sophisticated in design

and not as easy as it appears in theory. For any education system to get the benefits of it, it
requires teachers to be knowledgeable of the key principles of the curriculum and equipped
with skills and desirable attitudes to teach using competency based approaches. It can also be
concluded that for a competency-based curriculum to be successful, teachers and teacher
educators need proper in-service training so that they are acquainted with the basic tenets of
the competency-based curriculum for it to be implemented effectively. Learning in a
competency-based curriculum should be visible in the learner and not simply theorized about
because the Outcome-based curriculum is designed in such a way that learners demonstrate
the competencies.

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 References

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London: Kogen.

Boer, P. & Nieuwenhuis, A. F. M. (2002). Vocational Agile: Lessons from Green Education.
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Bowden, J. A. (1997). Competency-Based Education: Neither A Panacea nor A Pariah.

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Brady, L. (2006). Outcomes Based Education: A Critique. The Curriculum Journal. 7 (1), 5-
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