Influence of Teachers' Perceptions on Practicability of the CRE Curriculum on Students' Moral Reasoning in Public Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Moral reasoning is important as it equips students with skills to distinguish between right and wrong. It is taught in Kenyan secondary schools through Christian Religious Education (CRE) and other carrier subjects. Despite exposure to moral reasoning content, the moral reasoning level of students in public secondary schools in Nakuru County is generally unsatisfactory. Teachers are the implementers of the CRE curriculum and their perceptions of its practicability play a key role in equipping students with moral reasoning skills. This study examined the influence of teachers' perceptions on practicability of the CRE curriculum on students' moral reasoning. The study adopted the ex- post facto research design, co-relational type. The accessible population comprised all the 332 CRE teachers and 10603 form four CRE students in the county. A sample of 186 teachers and 386 form four students were selected using stratified, proportionate and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected using the CRE Teachers Perceptions Questionnaire (CRETCPQ) and the CRE students moral reasoning achievement test (CRESMAT). The reliability coefficients of CRETCPQ and CRESMAT were estimated using the Cronbach Alpha method and Kuder Richardson 20 formula respectively. The reliability coefficients of CRETCPQ and CRESMAT coefficients of were .898 and .805. The influence of teachers' perceptions of practicability of the CRE curriculum on students' moral reasoning was established using simple linear regression. The results indicated that teachers' perceptions on practicability of the CRE curriculum do not influence students' moral reasoning. The results of the study can be used by teachers to enhance moral education content delivery. The results can also be used by school managers strengthen moral education and instructional methodologies adopted in their programmes.