Opportunities and Challenges for Use and Integration of Information Communication Technology in Management of Public Secondary Schools in Bungoma South District, Kenya

Abstract

World over, most sectors have embraced information communication technology (ICT) as the preferred tool of choice for best management practices regarding service delivery in this 21st century. Despite the Kenya government and other stakeholders’ efforts to enhance use and integration of ICT in the education sector, public secondary schools management still lag behind in this area. Reviewed literature revealed that majority of the stakeholders focus on use and integration of ICT more on curriculum delivery as opposed to school management practices. To put ICT use and integration in management of public secondary schools to relevance in this information age, the study sought to establish opportunities available and challenges faced in use and integration of ICT in public secondary schools management in Bungoma South District, Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were to establish challenges faced in use and integration of ICT in management and find out available opportunities for use and integration of ICT in management. The study employed descriptive survey design. The study population comprised of 36 Principals, 36 Deputy Principals, 36 Directors of studies and 4 District Quality Assurance and Standards Officers. Saturated sampling technique was used to select 3 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers, 32 principals, 32 Deputy Principals and 32 Directors of Studies. Data collection instruments were self administered questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of frequencies counts and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed on an ongoing process as themes and sub themes emerged. The study findings established that schools that used and integrated ICT in management were major beneficiaries of donors such as the Ministry of Education and the Constituency Development Fund computer project. There was however a wide digital divide in use and integration of ICT in management regarding ICT resources. For instance, an overwhelming 100% of principals and Quality Assurance and Standards Officers cited ICT infrastructure and financial resources as major challenges faced in use and integration of ICT among others. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education increases its budgetary allocation to cater for capacity building and infrastructure to fill the gap in digital divide.