Curriculum Implementation Fidelity and School Leadership Practices: An Empirical Study of Public Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between curriculum implementation fidelity and school leadership practices in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The correlational survey research design was adopted for the investigation. The study population comprised 6,475 principals and teachers across 228 public secondary schools, out of which a multi-stage sample of 376 respondents was selected. Two validated instruments, titled the Curriculum Implementation Fidelity Scale (CIFS) and the School Leadership Practices Questionnaire (SLPQ), were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product moment correlation, and simple linear regression at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that curriculum implementation fidelity in public secondary schools is moderately high, with teachers generally adhering to curriculum content and engaging students effectively, though full instructional coverage remains a challenge. Leadership practices received high ratings, especially in supervision, communication, and teacher motivation. However, the use of monitoring and evaluation to improve instruction was not high. Results further showed a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between school leadership practices and curriculum implementation fidelity (r = 0.612, p < .05). Regression analysis confirmed leadership practices as a significant predictor of fidelity. The study concludes that effective school leadership plays a crucial role in ensuring faithful curriculum delivery and improved instructional quality. It recommends strengthening instructional leadership capacity, enhancing feedback mechanisms, and improving teacher support systems to promote better curriculum outcomes in public secondary schools.