Computer Education Policy and its Implementation in Kenyan Secondary Schools

Abstract

The recent past has witnessed a huge investment in computer education in schools, colleges, and universities around the world. Research from developed countries indicates that the introduction of computers into school system came about as a result of the government policy pronouncement. Most of the policy statements were written documents and others were not documented for circulation to schools but were contained in the existing educational policies. Countries like Australia, Britain, America, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Norway among others, have already put technology policies in place and already reaping the benefits. Kenya had not had an ICT policy until 2005 when the government came with an ICT policy in the Sessional Paper No 1 of 2005. All Principals of secondary schools were expected to implement the policy and at the same time formulate own school ICT policy. The purpose of this study was to find out if Principals of secondary schools in Nyanza Province implemented ICT policy by formulating their own school ICT policy for the use of computers in teaching and learning. The study was based on mixed method research design that used both qualitative and quantitative approaches design and was carried out in 80 Public secondary schools that had computers at the time of this research. The schools represented rural, urban and suburban areas. The participants included 44 male and 36 female principals. Data was collected by use of questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis. Data analysis combined qualitative and quantitative methods. The main research findings indicated that the Ministry of Education policy on the use of computers was being implemented by public secondary schools since the Ministry of Education policy automatically becomes the school policy. Most of the Principals 76% had a policy for the use of computers in teaching and learning but 24% were in the process of formulating computer education policy. The study suggested that all teachers, students and the school community should be informed about the policy and the importance of its implementation.