EVALUATING THE ALIGNMENT OF UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM WITH HIGH SCHOOL CONSUMER SCIENCE EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER PREPARATION AND EFFECTIVENESS IN ESWATINI

The educational community holds unrealistic expectations for beginning teachers, expecting them to possess a perfect mastery of the subject matter from the onset. This expectation is often at odds with the reality of teacher preparation programs, which may not adequately prepare novice educators for the specific tasks they must undertake in the classroom. This study sought to evaluate the relevance of the curriculum content offered by the University of Eswatini to the high school curriculum content. To achieve this goal, a descriptive survey design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires with closed-ended questions. A sample of sixteen (16) Consumer Science teachers was selected using purposive sampling for the qualitative data, while ninety (90) Consumer Science teachers were selected using random sampling for the quantitative data. Interview data were analysed using a theoretical thematic analysis approach, while SPSS version 23 was employed to analyse quantitative data, utilizing means and standard deviations as descriptive statistics. The findings of the study revealed a significant disconnect between the University of Eswatini curriculum content and the high school curriculum content. As a result, high school Consumer Science teachers often lack the necessary training and skills to effectively teach high school learners. This mismatch between preparation and practice contributes to the challenges faced by beginning Consumer Science teachers at the high school level. In light of these findings, the study recommends academic restructuring within the Faculty of Consumer Sciences to enhance the preparation of prospective high school Consumer Science teachers in Eswatini. By aligning the university curriculum more closely with the high school curriculum, teacher preparation programs can better equip novice educators with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the classroom and meet the expectations of the educational community.