FACILITATORS AND CONSTRAINTS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (1).docx

FACILITATORS AND CONSTRAINTS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Facilitators mean what make curriculum development easy; what assist in curriculum development. In short, they are essential things which should be available before we can have meaningful curriculum development. It could also mean the factors...

FACILITATORS AND CONSTRAINTS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Facilitators mean what make curriculum development easy; what assist in curriculum development. In short, they are essential things which should be available before we can have meaningful curriculum development. It could also mean the factors that influence curriculum development. Constraints are the direct opposite of facilitators. It could also come as the IMPEDIMENTS. The absence of facilitators constitutes the constraints. Curriculum development is here referred to the totality of all the processes in curriculum enterprise including design and planning, trial-testing, implementation, evaluation and re-designation; the whole circle of curriculum processes. There are seven major facilitators of constraints, these are: a. Natural factor b. Time factor c. Cultural factor d. Physical factor e. Organization factor f. Personal factor g. Financial factor **Natural Factor** Natural factors are certain phenomena that are not under human control. They can be **to their** host communities. For instance, Rivers, Hills, Plateau Forest, weather etc. These factors have implication for curriculum development because the subjects can be taught in all situations or circumstances. In the riverine areas of the South-Southern Nigeria, for example, the unit of the Agricultural Science that is viable there may be totally different from that which is viable in the Savannah North. While Swimming in Human Kinetic and Health Education, may be spontaneously embraced in the South-South, Hockey or Volley Ball would be happily taken in the North, as a result of the conduciveness of the terrain for different games in the different localities. Instances are many. They are uncontrollable, but assist or hinder curriculum development. **Time Factor** Every activity of man revolves around time. Similarly, the success or failure of anything depends on time. In curriculum development, time may mean duration, period, session or semester. Yet, in Psychology time means maturity or readiness. Whichever way we looks at it, time is very crucial in curriculum development, because content should necessarily ally with the specified time. For instance, in secondary school, there are three terms in a session, five school days in a week, and at most five learning hours for subjects, in a day. This should be borne in mind while planning curriculum so that what is being earmarked for study would not exceed what it should be. Similarly, what is being slated for learning should be commensurate with the level of the students being targeted. **Cultural Factor** Cultural is simply the way of life of a people including religious, moral political belief and philosophy. Nigeria represents a good example of a heterogeneous society with her diverse cultures. What is celebrated in a community may be a taboo in another. While some communities encourage co-educational systems, where male and female students mix and interact freely, some others frown at this and would rather prefer separate school set-up for each of the males and females. But in the latter, there would be constraints in the implementation of the curriculum if there are female schools and there are no sufficient female teachers to teach them. Research findings have indicates that, in Nigeria, there are more male teachers than females. Connected with this is the political system of the country most often, the cultural diversity of a country determines her type of constitution and, by extension, the political system being institutionalized. In Nigeria, for example, no matter how attractive, one-party or two-party system cannot work in the country, and the constitution is always couched not only to reflect this but also to form the bases of major provisions. Education, here, is largely controlled by the central authority. It is the federal government that formulates the curriculum, funds and gives legal recognition to schools, issues or recognizes certificates, etc. the reason being that the arrangement could be used to achieve unity in diversity. Although, the aim is laudable, the major criticism is that it stifles **initiatives** of some communities. For example, some people do not see any wisdom in subjecting the diverse groups to the same curriculum content, the same examinations and certificates and even the same condition of admission into the tertiary institutions. The implication of the foregoing is that culture in Nigeria is more of constraint in curriculum development, though; the little good use to which it is being put still places it also facilitator. **Physical Factor** Under this, we will be talking about necessary structural and infrastructural facilities needed for a meaningful curriculum development. There must be sufficient classroom facilities, library, laboratories as well as office accommodation, all fully furnished with necessary materials, including electrical and electronic fittings. There should also be opportunity for future expansion i.e., land mass. **Organizational Factor** This factor concerns the administrative and control mechanism. In Nigeria, all levels of education except secondary have superintending commissions or agencies, apart from the overall supervisory role being played by the federal and state ministries of education. There is National Universities Commission (NUC) for the universities, National Commission for College of Education (NCCE), National Board of technical Education (NBTE) for polytechnic, and Universal Basic Education (UBEC) for Basic Education, which includes primary and Junior Secondary levels. Even at the school level curriculum development can be positively or negatively affected by the type of the organizational structure put in place. This could manifest in the type or calibre of people in charge, both policy formulators who are sometimes politicians and policy implementers who are technocrats. If the right people are put in charge, curriculum development would be facilitated, otherwise, there would be impediment. **Personal Factor** Teachers and the learners are the focus under personal factor. While teachers are the human resources, the learners are the major beneficiaries in the educations enterprise. It has often been said that no nation can rise above the quality level of her teachers. As crucial implementers of curriculum, teachers should be considered from three perspective. These are qualification, experience and motivation. Considering teacher qualifications as a variable in curriculum development implies putting the right personnel to teach in schools. For instances, it is absurd to deploy a holder of Nigeria Certificate in Education to teach any subjects at the senior secondary level. More absurd is the issue of deploying school certificate holders to teach at all, cases of such are common in schools. Experience means sufficient length of service in teaching. This is so important that qualification does not and cannot be substituted for it. We can improvise instructional materials, dubious can also fake certificate but definite experience cannot be fake or purchased. It can only be acquired through constant and long practice. Motivation is also an important variable as far as teacher is concerned. A motivates work force is a great asset that could facilitate the realization of the set goals and objectives. The concept of motivation includes prompt payment of remunerations, provision of conducive and enabling environment, opportunity for capacity bridling and utilization and training and re-training programmes. Student/learner is a major factor in curriculum development. Our knowledge of psychology makes us to realize that certain things affect a child's growth and development as a member of the society. Such things are physiological, psychological and social issues. Physiologically, a child needs the essentials that would make him grow normally, have sensory development and be physically active. Psychologically, an individual needs to be encouraged by all those who are directly or indirectly concerned about his education. Socially he needs to be self-actualized and has his own sense of aesthetic appreciation which must be recognized and respected in. **Financial Factor** The meaning, nature and importance of money merely need debate. It is the bedrock of **ever** on which all other factors depend to play their statutory roles. Seeming impossibilities possible with ease. Education as a whole is curriculum development can rightly be regarded as the centralized cannot be accomplished without sufficient capital.