Utilization Of Information And Communication Technology In Management Of Public Secondary Schools In Machakos County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

In the twenty first century, technology use has had huge impact in every sphere of life. Information and Communication Technology has been used enormously in school administration as an aid in data control. With high level of investment in Information and Communication Technology, still there is limited integration of Information and Communication Technology in school management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utilization of Information and Communication Technology in management of public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya. Specific objectives were: to establish the extent to which Information and Communication Technology is used in curriculum and instruction in management of public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, to identify how Information and Communication Technology is used in supervision of personnel in management of public secondary schools, to find out ways in which Information and Communication Technology is used in financial control in management of public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. The study would be of significance to the Ministry of Education in coming up with relevant educational policies on management of schools. It would also be significant to Kenya Educational Management Institute in training Principals on the use of Information and Communication Technology in school management. Technology acceptance Model by Fred Davis (1985) guided this study. Data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics assisted by SPSS. Quantitative data were presented in tables, percentages, and graphs Qualitative data were organized into themes according to study objectives and described using words and analyzed was presented in form of tables and graphs. Quantitative data was displayed first, and qualitative data were collaborated. The study was carried out in public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. The study targeted 45 public secondary schools, 45 principals and 513 teachers. Stratified sampling was used to categorize schools into 3 strata. Simple random sampling was used to sample 2 girls’, 2 boys’ and 7 mixed schools totaling to 11 schools. Systematic sampling was used to sample 7 mixed schools out of the 35 mixed schools. Thus, from the 11 sampled schools, principals became automatic respondents of the study. From the 11 schools, teachers were sampled using simple random sampling. Interview guides were used to collect data from principals while questionnaires were administered to teachers. One secondary school, one principal and one teacher were chosen for pilot study. The main findings of this study indicated that ICT use in curriculum and instruction for effective school management was minimal. Schools rarely use ICT in personnel management. Most schools do not use time attendance software to supervise teachers and majority of schools do not use biometric sign-in system to monitor students. Majority of teachers lack skills on ICT especially on NEMIS use. Most teachers are not aware of how ICT can be used in management of school finances. The study recommends more teacher in-service training on utilization of ICT in schools, government to create more incentives on use of ICT, school administration to purchase more computers to enable teachers have more accessibility.