ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS BETWEEN SPECIALIST AND GENERALIST TEACHING OF SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY IN THE ANGLOPHONE SUB-SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN CAMEROON

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate the academic achievement of primary school pupils between specialist and generalist teaching of science / technology in the anglophone sub-system of education in Cameroon. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed – method combining both a quasi - experimental design and a survey design. Two generalist classrooms and two specialist classrooms with 60 students each were equally shared between the North West and South West Regions. The head teachers of the four schools were interviewed. The instruments for data collection was the Achievement Test for Level three Primary School pupils (ATLPS) and an interview guide for school heads. Quantitative Data was analysed with the support of SPSS 21.0 while qualitative data went through thematic analysis. Findings showed that the specialist class had a performance of 75.2 over 100, very significantly higher than the 47.1 over 100 recorded in the generalist class (P=0.000). The hypothesis here stated is then rejected, thus implying that specialist approach of teaching is much more appropriate in enhancing pupils’ academic performance than the currently and unfortunately sustained generalist approach. It was generally perceived that teaching method, assessment and pupils’ academic achievement were more effective in the specialist classrooms. Supervision was perceived more challenging in generalist classrooms. It was recommended that there should be a gradual integration of specialist teaching in the educational system, generalist teachers should be upgraded in subject where they are more comfortable in prospect of specialist teaching, and an improvement on administrative supervision and decision making, Training of specialist teachers to be included in the curriculum of Teacher Training Colleges.