Adequacy and sustainability of secondary schools' computerization in meeting instructional needs in selected schools in Kitui County, Kenya

One of the main problems in deployment of computer technology in Kenyan schools is unclear objectives and misplaced priorities. Many schools have initiated expensive computer projects, whose sustainability is questionable. The software installed in these machines might not be tailored to meet specific instructional needs and therefore computers are likely to be underused and unappreciated by those they were meant to benefit. This study sought to assess the sustainability of these projects and their appropriateness in meeting teaching and learning needs in Kitui County, Kenya. Users' accessibility to computers, project costs, specific instructional needs and user-friendliness of hardware and software was investigated. To achieve these objectives, the study investigated a host of indicators identified during the literature review. These indicators included financing initiatives, the nature and numbers of computers, availability of digital content, and the level of ICT skills among teachers . The study employed survey design. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in the collection and the analysis of data. The target population consisted of teachers, students and administrators in provincial secondary schools. Six out of 19 provincial secondary schools were purposively selected. A sample size of 120 randomly selected teachers of various subjects, 6 principals, 6 teachers of Computer Studies and 163 students participated in the study. The researcher used questionnaires, interview schedules, checklists and document analysis in data collection. Collected data was scrutinized for completeness and analysed using MS-excel for quantitative and CpC EZ-text software. for qualitative data. It was then presented by using relevant themes, tables and percentages. The findings of the survey revealed that Schools lack a comprehensive ICT policy to guide acquisition, use and sustenance of computerisation. Consequently, they did not have reliable financing arrangements to set up and run computerization. The study observed that this inadequate funding impacted negatively on the number of use able machines and the availability of uptodate user-friendly software, severely hampering access to the machines and digital content. In addition, the study found out that although the teachers and learners are aware of their ICT instructional needs, there is little content in schools that can be integrated in teaching and learning. The study concluded that secondary school computerization is neither adequate nor sustainable in its current state. The researcher recommends that the government should get more involved in establishing lCT centres in schools and in conducting a sensitization campaign to equip teachers with knowledge on ICT integration into their daily instruction tasks. The findings of the study have implications for teachers practices and the policy approach to secondary computerization. These results can be used by school administrators as a benchmark for improving ICT policies in their schools and to facilitate optimum access to and productive use of available computers. These results can also be used by the government to improve e-preparedness of schools as we move towards the realization of computerization of all schools by the year 2012. Finally, suggestions for further research are made.