PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, EXCELLENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

This study examined Professional Ethics, Excellence and Accountability in Curriculum Development and Implementation in Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Specifically, it focused on how honesty, fairness and integrity influence excellence and accountability in curriculum processes. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and the population comprised 486 lecturers from the Faculty of Education who were directly involved in curriculum design, implementation and evaluation. A validated structured questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection, and its reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.82. Out of 486 copies distributed, 246 were retrieved, representing a 50.6% response rate. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while hypotheses were tested using the independent t-test. Findings revealed that honesty, fairness and integrity significantly promote excellence and accountability in curriculum development and implementation. The study concluded that professional ethics anchored on honesty, fairness, and integrity are essential for maintaining transparency, fairness in evaluation, and consistency in curriculum delivery, thereby enhancing educational standards and institutional credibility. It was recommended that universities integrate ethics training and establish incentive systems that encourage lecturers to uphold honesty, fairness and integrity in all curriculum-related activities to sustain excellence and accountability.