Exploring Indigenous Music and Folktales for Pupils’ Development of Higher-Order Thinking Skills in Public Primary Schools in Northwest Cameroon

This study investigated the effect of indigenous music and folktales on the development of pupils’ higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in public primary schools in the North-West Region of Cameroon. The argument for the study is anchored on Gardner’s (1983) multiple intelligences theory, Nsamenang’s (1992) social ontogenesis theory, and Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of educational objectives. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, using the convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Data were collected using both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (focus group discussion and interview guides) research instruments. The questionnaire was validated using the content validity index which stood at 0.97 while its reliability was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.868. The reliability of the qualitative instruments stood at 0.92 and 0.93 for focus group discussion and interview guide respectively. The sampling techniques used were simple random to select four Divisions, convenience to select six Subdivisions and 32 functional public primary schools, and purposive to select classes four and six pupils, Levels II and III teachers, headteachers, and subdivisional inspectors. The target population of this study comprised 80,089 pupils, 2,545 teachers, 414 headteachers, and 26 subdivisional inspectors from 414 functional public primary schools distributed across the seven Divisions of the North-West Region of Cameroon for the 2023/2024 academic year. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s Table for sample size calculation, a sample size of 660 participants (368 pupils, 254 teachers, 32 head teachers, and six subdivisional inspectors) was drawn from an accessible population of 8,050 pupils, 750 teachers, 32 headteachers, and six subdivisional inspectors. Data collected were analyzed descriptively (using frequencies, percentages, multiple response sets, mean, standard deviation, and charts) and inferentially (using ordinary logistic regression and Spearman’s correlation matrix). Findings from regression analysis showed that indigenous music (r-value -0.459, p-value 0.135) has no significant positive effect on the development of pupils’ HOTS while indigenous folktales (r-value 1.275, p-value 0.000) have a significant positive effect on the development of pupils’ HOTS. Based on the findings, it was recommended that educators should consider the musical preferences and interests of pupils, as well as the incorporation of both modern and traditional musical instruments to foster pupils' development of cultural and livelihood skills. Also, relevant educational authorities should organize seminars, workshops, and orientation programmes regularly where teachers are taught the importance and methods of application of folktales for the revival of the story hour in classrooms to perform the moral functions they had hither-to been performing.