Addressing the Lacuna in Critical Thinking in Kenyan Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum

Abstract: There are numerous studies on critical thinking (CT), but very few studies have been done that relate CT dispositions especially self-efficacy in classroom theory and practice, particularly in Kenya's secondary school chemistry curriculum. This paper analyzed reports from scholars, policymakers, and the curriculum reforms for Kenyan secondary schools to establish the extent to which CT is incorporated into the curriculum. These reports were used to experiment with the standard critical thinking analysis model. The analyzed categories were used to develop key theoretical propositions for the study. Theoretical propositions formed an explanatory theory that supported the analysis. From the analysis, although education reforms recognize CT as a key skill, it is not clear how CT self-efficacy should be developed in Kenyan secondary school chemistry learners. In this paper, we argue that CT can only be realized in the Chemistry classroom if the learning approach is learner-centered as opposed to the current teacher-centered approach. CT self-efficacy indicators also ought to be infused into the secondary school education curriculum for chemistry learners to acquire CT skills.