Educational Resource Dynamics and Instructional Adaptability as Determinants of Competency-Based Curriculum Implementation Fidelity in Uganda’s Lower Secondary Education

Abstract

This study investigated Instructional Resource Dynamics and Instructional Adaptability as Determinants of Competency-Based Curriculum Implementation Fidelity in Uganda’s Lower Secondary Education. The specific objective was to determine how human, digital/printed, and physical infrastructural resources affect curriculum implementation and to assess the mediating role of instructional adaptability. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed, beginning with a quantitative phase using structured surveys administered to 972 lower secondary school teachers, followed by qualitative interviews to contextualise statistical findings. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS Version 25, employing descriptive statistics, correlation, hierarchical multiple regression, and mediation analysis through path coefficients and Sobel testing. Results indicated that educational resources significantly predicted curriculum implementation, with human resources having the strongest effect, followed by digital/printed materials, while physical infrastructure showed a smaller, non-significant contribution. Instructional adaptability partially mediated the relationship between educational resources and curriculum implementation, suggesting that resource availability enhances teachers’ adaptive teaching capacities, which in turn improves curriculum fidelity. These findings align with Constructivist and Fidelity of Implementation theories, emphasising that teacher competence and flexibility bridge the gap between policy intentions and classroom realities. The study concludes that the success of CBC implementation depends not only on the adequacy of resources but also on teachers’ ability to adapt instruction to diverse contexts. It recommends that the Ministry of Education increase teacher recruitment and professional development, expand equitable access to digital and printed learning resources, and improve infrastructure standards through collaboration with county governments and school boards. Strengthening teacher adaptability through continuous professional learning and targeted policy support is essential for sustaining effective, learner-centred curriculum implementation across Uganda’s education system.