From Policy to Practice: Exploring Lecturers’ Interpretation and Implementation of General Education Curriculum in Colleges of Education in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding how lecturers in Colleges of Education in Bauchi State interpret and implement the General Education curriculum. Specifically, it examines the alignment between the intended curriculum—as outlined by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) minimum standards—and the enacted curriculum in classroom practices. The key variables explored are lecturers' curriculum interpretation, instructional decision-making, and classroom implementation strategies. The study is grounded in the belief that effective teacher preparation hinges on the fidelity of curriculum delivery, particularly in foundational courses that shape pre-service teachers' pedagogical knowledge and skills. this study was undertaken within a qualitative case study method that was considered appropriate for the study. Five objectives and five research questions are formulated to guide the study. Questionnaires are to be used to collect data for the study. Responses to the open-ended items in the questionnaires were analysed and recorded quantitatively while closed-ended items in the questionnaires were analysed and reported descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that despite the clarity of the NCCE Minimum. Standards, lecturers often face challenges in interpreting and translating these guidelines into actionable instructional plans. Differences in academic background, experience, access to instructional resources, and professional development opportunities contribute to varying interpretations. Some lecturers focus narrowly on coverage of course topics, while others struggle to integrate the broader goals of critical thinking, creativity, and learner-centred pedagogy outlined in the standards. This misalignment can lead to ineffective teaching practices and a dilution of the curriculum’s intended objectives.  At the end, the research discusses briefly what has been said in the whole research.