Challenges in the Implementation of Physics Education in Rural Community Day Secondary Schools: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Physics education contributes to scientific literacy, problem-solving capacity and technological development, yet its implementation in rural Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) remains constrained by persistent structural and pedagogical barriers. This systematic literature review synthesised empirical evidence on the challenges affecting physics education in rural secondary schools across Sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to implications for Malawi. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and involved searches across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, Google Scholar and African Journals Online, supplemented by grey literature from relevant institutional repositories. Studies published between 2010 and 2024 were screened against predefined eligibility criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and the findings were synthesised thematically, with quantitative findings pooled where sufficient comparable data were available. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria, representing 5,847 participants from eight Sub-Saharan African countries. Five interconnected challenges were identified: the absence of laboratory infrastructure, a critical shortage of qualified physics teachers, restricted access to instructional materials, insufficient instructional time compounded by curriculum demands, and low student motivation and engagement. The synthesis indicates that these challenges do not operate independently. Rather, inadequate infrastructure limits practical teaching, teacher shortages reduce instructional quality, restricted materials constrain independent learning, and these conditions collectively weaken learner engagement. Quantitative synthesis further indicated substantial associations between laboratory access, teacher qualification, instructional material accessibility and learning-related outcomes. The review concludes that improving physics education in rural CDSSs requires coordinated responses that address infrastructure, teacher capacity, resource accessibility and learner-centred pedagogy together. The findings provide a context-sensitive evidence base for policy, school leadership and future research on physics education in resource-constrained rural settings.