Analysis of the Implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement in Vhembe West District, South Africa

This chapter investigates how district officials are empowered to implement Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement effectively in the Vhembe West District in South Africa. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement is a document that guides or describes the teaching, learning, and assessment process in the South African Education System at both primary and post-primary phases of learning. A qualitative phenomenological design was used and produced a large amount of data that had to be analysed. The population in this study comprised all school principals and officials from the Vhembe West District in South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select five school principals as they are curriculum managers and five officials from the district as monitors and managers of curriculum change implementation. The study used theories in change management to investigate how district officials are empowered to implement CAPS in the Vhembe West District in South Africa. On the basis of these theories, themes were developed in answering the research objectives. According to the study, district officials faced the following difficulties in carrying out their duties: a lack of funding to purchase teaching and learning support materials; insufficient infrastructure; a lack of district officials in particular disciplines; a lack of clarity regarding roles; a lack of collaboration; an unavailability of follow-up visits; a shortage of computers for district officials and teacher support materials; bribery and corruption in the sale of principalship positions; a slow filling of district official positions; and an inappropriate set of skills for school management and leadership. The chapter concluded that expedite curriculum delivery by filling vacancies as soon as possible and for district officials to get ongoing capacity building so they can tackle curriculum problems.