Assessing Teachers’ Views on the Impact of Teacher Unions on Curriculum Development and Implementation

The thrust of this study was to assess the teachers’ views on the impact of teachers’ unions on curriculum development and implementation in schools of OR Tambo Inland Education District. The government of democracy in South Africa necessitated the design and development of curriculum to be a transformed and inclusive curriculum offered in learning institutions such as schools, colleges and universities irrespective of the colour, gender, disabilities, race, and religion of the registered learners. The rationale for the design of a transformed and inclusive curriculum was crucial to redress the imbalances of the past apartheid which was characterised by or with segregated curriculum on the basis of colour, disabilities, and gender. The researchers adopted a qualitative approach, making use of the case study research design. Data were collected from a sample of ten purposefully chosen secondary schools, with one teacher serving as a participant from each secondary school. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with 10 teachers of the selected secondary schools. A thematic approach was used to analyse the collected data. It emerged that the stakeholders like teachers, principals, teacher unions, and communities, were marginalised in curriculum development by Department of Basic Education officials. The marginalisation of teacher unions has a negative impact on the implementation of the curriculum by teachers. Collaboration of stakeholders like teacher unions, researchers, and book-publishers to mention a few, in curriculum planning and development by DBE is the key to the success and implementation. The study outcomes encourage the training on and usage of technological skills for online meetings by stakeholders. Keywords: Teacher Participation, Curriculum Development, Curriculum Implementation, OR Tambo Inland Education District