ABSTRACT
Secondary school student’s underachievement in chemistry in Nigeria has often been associated with teacher’s poor implementation of chemistry curriculum on which students learning is based. It is against this background that the researcher deems it essential to carry out a study on the factors influencing the effective implementation of senior secondary school chemistry curriculum in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo state, Nigeria. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the extent to which the senior secondary school chemistry teachers understand the chemistry curriculum, find out the factors that affect the effective implementation of chemistry curriculum by teachers amongst others. The study is delimited to senior secondary school teachers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area.The research questions raised to guide the study are; to what extent do senior secondary school teachers understand the chemistry curriculum? What are the factors that influence the effective implementation of chemistry curriculum in senior secondary schools in OviaNorth-East Local Government Area of Edo state? What are the consequences of inadequately implemented chemistry curriculum on the students in senior secondary schools in Ovia North-East Local Government Area?
The survey research designed was adopted for this study, the population of the study consists of all the senior secondary school chemistry teachers in Ovia North-East Local Government in Edo State which has eighty-two (82) registered senior secondary school teachers. A total sample of Forty-five (45) chemistry teachers were randomly drawn from fifteen (15) secondary schools in Ovia North-East Local Government Area using random sampling, that is, 3 from each school.The instrument was a validated questionnaire. In analyzing the data collected, the researcher adopted simple percentage method.
Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that chemistry teachers face similar challenges such as the regular supply of materials needed to teach chemistry, not being involved in decision making or chemistry curriculum planning, not being satisfied with the salaries, finding some topics in chemistry very difficult to teach, salaries not being paid on time. Recommendations include; involvement of teachers in decision making of curriculum planning, organization of workshops and seminars for chemistry teachers, payment of salaries and allowances.
