The Relationship Between Students’ Library Utilization and Implementation of Lower Secondary Curriculum in Secondary Schools of Rwampara County, Rwampara District, Western Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between students’ library utilization and the implementation of the Lower Secondary Curriculum in Secondary Schools of Rwampara County, Rwampara District. The study employed a cross-sectional survey to find out the opinions of the sampled students and teachers. The study population included all Secondary School stakeholders in selected Secondary Schools in Rwampara District. The study sample comprised 14 School Headteachers, 1 DEO, 98 Teachers, 14 School Librarians, and 183 Students. Data was collected using questionnaire. Data were analyzed quantitatively. The study findings revealed that secondary school students were actively engaged with library materials to enhance their critical thinking skills. The study findings also revealed that teachers played a pivotal role in this process and leveraged technology to enhance learning experiences. The study findings further showed that there was a weak to moderate positive relationship between students’ library utilization and implementation of lower secondary curriculum at (P<0.01).It was concluded that there was a moderate positive relationship between students’ library utilization and the implementation of the Lower Secondary Curriculum. As students engaged more with library resources, there was a slight tendency for curriculum implementation to increase. It was recommended that the government need to support the integration of library resources into the Lower Secondary Curriculum by providing adequate funding for libraries.