Missing Seats at the Curriculum Decision-Making Table in South Africa: A Model for Teacher Inclusion

Teacher exclusion from vital curriculum decision-making processes remains an arching issue to date. Although there are enormous benefits when teachers participate in making decisions on curriculum-related matters, educational authorities in many parts of the globe sideline them. This study aims to find out how teachers understand their role as curriculum leaders and the challenges they encounter in fulfilling these roles. This qualitative study used a multiple-site case study approach. By purposively and conveniently selecting twenty teachers from four secondary schools, the researcher generated data through individual interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), meetings, and lesson observations. From the thematically analysed data, the findings indicated that teachers understand their role as partners in curriculum decision-making at any level, and as designers of learning and teaching materials (LTMs), facilitators, and subject specialists. The study also found that exclusion from vital curriculum decision-making processes is the worst challenge teachers face. The researcher proposed a model to include teachers in curriculum decision-making at any level. The researcher also recommended future studies with education authorities to obtain a better understanding of teacher exclusion from curriculum-related decision-making processes. It is hoped that the outcome of this study will contribute to closing the existing gap of teacher exclusion in vital curriculum decision-making processes. Keywords: Curriculum Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Decision-Making, Teacher Exclusion, Teacher Inclusion