A Critical Analysis of Learner performance in the Content-Based and Outcome-Based Secondary School History Curriculum in Zambia

In this article a critical analysis of learner performance in the content based and outcome-based history curriculum is explored. The aim of study was to determine whether there was any statistical significance in learners’ performance between the content based and outcome-based curriculum in Lusaka, Zambia. The study further sought to ascertain the extent pupils’ demographic characteristics influence secondary school history achievement as a function of school type and syllabi. The study focused on six schools in Lusaka district, of which two were government, two private and two Missionary Grant Aided. Data were collected using document study, examination of Zambia reports, observations and scholarly works. The sample of 8,276 grade 12 history learners who sat for the national secondary school certificate in the period 2011 to 2020 in six secondary schools were used. A one-way ANOVA was performed to compare the effect of syllabus type on performance of the learners. The study results show that history learners performed statistically better on Outcome-based education (M 66.24 and SD 31.24) compared to Content-based education (M 28.53, SD20.36). The study also revealed that demographic factors such as type of syllabus and school type were statistically significant in their contribution to learners’ academic performance. Another interesting finding of the study was that private and grant-aided schools outperformed government schools in both syllabus types. Most private and grant-aided schools seem to perform better in good governance and human resource management, availability of teaching/learning resources, good pupil-teacher ratio, well trained and experienced teachers, teachers’ motivation through awards and better infrastructure development. The findings of the study prompted the proposal of a recommendation to revisit the senior secondary school History syllabus for it to respond to the Zambian changing dynamics such as a shift from emphasis Eurocentric views to Zambianised History