The influence of Principals’ Related Factors on ICT Integration in the Management of Public Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to determine the influence of principals’ related factors on integration of Information Communication Technology in the management of public secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya. A descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The study was carried out in 58 public secondary schools in Kitui County that have functional ICT infrastructure. This study used sample size table as proposed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) whereby 58 principals, 58 senior teachers and 266 assistant teachers from schools that have functional ICT infrastructure were selected. All 16 Sub-county Directors of Education and one County Director of Education were selected for the study. The researcher used questionnaires to collect data from principals, senior teachers and assistant teachers while interview schedule was used to collect data from Sub-county Directors of Education in Kitui County. The collected data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis approaches whereby both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Descriptive statistics that were used in this study include percentages and mean. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s moment of correlation coefficient and Chi-square tests for independence. The qualitative data were presented in the form of narrative and integrated within the quantitative data. The findings of the study were; 78% of the principals integrate ICT in school management less frequently; there was a strong negative correlation r (50) = - 0.750, p<0.05 between principals age and ICT integration, a strong positive correlation r (50) = 0.559, p< 0.05 between professional experience and ICT integration. It was also established that there was a significant association between principals’ gender and ICT integration and also a significant association between the level of education and ICT integration. The study recommended that; the government should introduce compulsory computer training for all principals and teachers. This would equip all the principals with ICT skills, the Universities should also make it compulsory for all students being trained as teachers to do a unit on computer.