Curriculum planning, implementation and labour market adaptability of graduates of Makerere University

Abstract

This study was set to examine what the relationship between curriculum planning, curriculum implementation and labour market adaptability of graduates of Makerere University.The respondents were postgraduate students from the colleges of: Humanities and Social Sciences, Education and External Studies, Business and Management Sciences and Natural sciences. A cross sectional correlational survey design was used because the study involved a large number of respondents and quantitative methods were used to collect the data using Self-Assessment Questionnaires, data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Scientists. The research conceptualized curriculum planning as the inclusion of certain skills in the content, implementation as the teaching methods used and adaptability to the labour market as possessing labour market relevant skills that included: verbal communication skills, written communication skills, computer skills, entrepreneurship skills, field specific practical skills, analytical skills, ethical values, planning, coordinating and organizational skills, international skills and interpersonal skills. The findings indicate that curriculum planning was positively related to the inclusion of field specific skills and analytical skills at the undergraduate level and positively related to the inclusion of computer skills, field specific skills, entrepreneurship skills and international skills at the postgraduate level. The findings also show that curriculum implementation was positively related to the teaching of field specific skills at the undergraduate level and the teaching of verbal communication skills, analytical skills, planning, coordinating and organizational skills and international skills. The study concludes that curriculum planning and implementation had no significant relationship with most of the parameters of labour market adaptability of the graduates of MAK. The study recommends that the university needs to facilitate more research relating to labour market adaptability.