Thesis:

An assesment of the utilization of information and communication technology(ICT) in the effective management of secondary schools in Kathiani District, Kenya.

The report entails an assessment of the role of Information and Communication Technology for effective management of public secondary schools in Kathiani District, Kenya. Introduction of Information and Communication Technology in the management of education could become a remedy in providing effective solutions to educational problems. Otherwise, solving most of educational problems could pose some challenges when solved manually. Essentially, the study would bring forth the level of availability of Information and Communication Technology facilities in secondary schools. In addition, it highlights level of principals’ management of secondary schools, and analyzes the extent of use of Information and Communication Technology in the effective management of secondary schools in Kenya. Besides, the study assessed if there is a relationship between the use of Information and Communication Technology and effective management of secondary schools in Kathiani District. Essentially, it examined advantages of using Information and Communication Technology in the management of secondary schools and analyzed the constraints to the effective use of Information and Communication Technology in secondary schools. Basically, the study adopted descriptive survey. The survey dealt with a population of 30 public secondary schools in Kathiani District. Purposive sampling technique was applied for the selection. Respondents interviewed comprised administrators in the selected schools and heads of departments. Out of the district population, a sample of 10 schools were randomly selected without biasness. From each sample, structured instruments were administered to the relevant actors. Instruments used for data collection included; questionnaire for heads of departments and an interview guide for the principals and deputy principals. Before administering the main instruments, a test questionnaire was conducted to Kathiani Girls High School and Mitamboni Secondary School from whose response thequestionnaires were used for modification. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages from which tables were derived to carry out a correlation analysis. It is hoped that the findings and recommendations of the study would lead to effective use of ICT in management of public secondary schools and also provide valuable reference for policymakers, researchers and others involved in the management of schools. The study has established that most secondary schools have ICT resources, but are rarely used in secondary school management due to organizational factors, attitudes towards technology and other factors. The study has established that ICT integration in management of schools offers a competitive advantage to the school over other schools and that use of ICT leads to increased efficiency in the management of the schools. The study thus recommends that teachers should take proficiency courses to improve their understanding of integration of ICT in classrooms and any other aspect of school management. The Government should avail adequate funding to most schools to ensure effective implementation of ICT programmes in most schools. The government should pass regulations to enforce ICT policy which requires school management to adopt ICT in all its operations.