Application of information communication and technology in school management practices in public secondary schools in Ruiru district, Kiambu county, Kenya.
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Date
2013-02-22
Authors
Macharia, Nahashon Mbugua
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Abstract
After several years of effort, Kenya promulgated a national ICT policy in
January 2006 that aims to "improve the livelihoods of Kenyans by ensuring the
availability of accessible, efficient, reliable and affordable ICT services.The
policy emphasizes the application of ICT in school management and recognizes
that senior managers in schools have a major impact upon classroom and
curriculum implementation practices. The study's major objective was to
establish the application of Information Communication and Technology in
school management practices in public secondary schools in the areas of
personnel, financial, and strategic aspects. The speccific ojectives of this study
were to assess thy" existing ICT components and infrastructure in public
secondary schools', ""l.lssessapplication of ICT in various management areas,
establish the constraints faced in adoption of ICT in public secondary school
management and propose strategies and interventions of improving application
of lCf in public secondary school management. The study adopted a descriptive
research design both qualitative and quantitative data were used to answer the
research questions on the use of ICT in school management in public secondary
schools. The study target population comprised of all the public secondary
schools in Ruiru District and the subjects of the study were principals/deputy
principals, Heads of Departments, teachers, bursars/accounts clerks and
students. Ruiru District had 14 public secondary schools and the researcher
conducted the research in all the schools since it was possible to collect data
from all of them. Data were collected using questionnaires, interview schedules
and an observation schedule. Qualitative data was obtained from open-ended
items in the questionnaires and interview schedule. Data were analyzed both
qualitatively and quantitatively. Data were presented in tables, and graphs. The
study found out that only a small proportion, 4 (28.6%) of schools had computer
laboratories/rooms. Majority (80.0%) of schools were using computers in
timetabling as well as management of finances and storing of records/data on
students enrolments and academic progress. Most (60%) principals were ICT
illiterate and that there was minimal utilization of ICT in the management of
public secondary schools in Ruiru. The main challenges facing the adoption of
ICT in the management of public secondary schools were; principals lCT
illiteracy and limited rural electrification. The study concluded that there was
need for participatory approaches in the adoption of ICT and that for successful
adoption of the use of ICTs in our education system required clearly laid down
strategies and policies. The researcher therefore recommended that for effective
access and use of ICT at least the basic infrastructure like computers, electricity
and telephone services to be provided, training of school principals in ICT
applications to be initiated, and computer studies to be made a compulsory
subject in secondary level of education. The researcher further suggested that a
comparative study be carried out to compare the adoption levels of ICT between
public and private secondary schools.
Description
Educational Management Policy and Curriculum Studies,2003.