Title: The role of Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (PCI) integration in values education under CBC
Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Akampulira Sarah, Nabaasa Desire
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 197-205
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
This study examined the role of Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (PCI) integration in strengthening values education under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), motivated by persistent concerns that although the CBC framework explicitly requires teachers to embed topical societal issues such as substance abuse, gender-based violence, environmental degradation, digital citizenship, and corruption into learning experiences, classroom practice appeared inconsistent and only loosely linked to the intended values outcomes of respect, responsibility, integrity, and social cohesion. Anchored on a positivist paradigm and a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, the study targeted primary and lower-secondary school teachers implementing CBC values education, from whom a stratified random sample of 250 respondents was drawn across public and private schools. Data were collected using a structured, pilot-tested questionnaire covering respondent demographics, PCI integration practices measured on a five-point Likert scale, and a composite indicator of effective PCI integration, and were analyzed using univariate statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations), bivariate chi-square tests of association, and binary logistic regression to identify independent predictors of effective integration while controlling for confounding covariates. Results showed that 156 (62.4%) of the teachers had received CBC-specific training, and that two-thirds (66.4%) of respondents were classified as demonstrating a high level of PCI integration in their values education lessons, although notable gaps persisted in the assessment of PCI-related competencies and in the guidance teachers received from curriculum designs. Bivariate analysis revealed a statistically significant association between CBC training and level of PCI integration (chi-square = 27.28, p < 0.001) and between access to adequate teaching and learning resources and integration level (chi-square = 21.12, p < 0.001), while school type, academic qualification, and teaching experience showed weaker, non-significant associations. The logistic regression model, which was statistically significant overall (LLR p = 0.007) and correctly classified 67.2% of cases, confirmed that teachers who had received CBC training were about two and a half times more likely to integrate PCIs effectively (adjusted OR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.44-4.44, p = 0.001) than untrained teachers, and that adequate access to teaching and learning resources nearly doubled the odds of effective integration (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.04-3.14, p = 0.036), whereas qualification, experience, school type, and workload were not independently significant predictors once training and resource access were controlled for. The study concluded that targeted CBC/PCI training and resource provisioning, rather than generic teacher credentials, were the practical levers most strongly associated with effective integration of pertinent and contemporary issues into values education, and recommended that curriculum support agencies prioritise continuous, competency-specific PCI training, deliberate resourcing of teaching and learning materials that reflect current societal issues, and the development of explicit assessment rubrics that make PCI-related values outcomes visible and measurable in the CBC classroom.