Leadership Challenges in the Implementation of Ict in Public Secondary Schools, Kenya

Laaria Mingaine

doi:10.5539/jel.v2n1p32

Abstract

Many authors argue that school leadership determines how Information Communication Technology (ICT) isimplemented and its subsequent impact on teaching and learning. This involves Principal as a school leader tolead in implementation. A positive attitude of school leader towards implementation of ICT will encourage theschool community to be actively involved in its implementation.Kenya is in the process of implementing ICT in schools. However, there are many challenges that hindereffective ICT implementation including school leadership challenge. This paper reports that school leader’sinterest, their commitment and championing implementation of ICT programs in schools positively influencesthe whole process. The Paper recommends that all school leaders consider using ICT in their day-to-dayactivities of running their schools. ICT curriculum and managerial skills should be incorporated to training ofschool leaders in Kenya. Implementation of ICT is becoming more important to schools and the success of suchimplementation is often due to presence of effective school leadership.To a large extent, school leaders have been relying on government and development partners to equip schoolswith ICT infrastructure. This Paper recommends besides sensitizing development partners and waiting for theircontributions, school leadership should consider ICT a priority in school and allocate budgets that wouldpromote its implementation. A descriptive survey was used to collect data by administering questionnaires toselected sample of ICT/curriculum teachers, Principals and Board of Governors (BOG) chairpersons from 105public secondary schools in Meru County, Kenya.

Highlights

Research shows that investments in Information Communication Technology (ICT) for enhancing formal and non-formal education systems are essential for schools improvement (Tong &Trinidad, 2010)
A study carried out by Anderson & Dexter (2010) on technology leadership behaviors of school principals established that apart from ICT infrastructure being important in school, school leadership was the most determining factor in the process of effectively implementing ICT in schools
As well as providing the needed ICT infrastructure, School leaders should focus on how infrastructure affects teaching and learning in their school

Summary

Introduction

Research shows that investments in ICT for enhancing formal and non-formal education systems are essential for schools improvement (Tong &Trinidad, 2010). More research support the idea that school leadership behavior determines success or failure of schools to implement ICT in its activities (Schiller, 2011, Hennessey, 2010, Aguyo, 2010, Chang, Chin & Hsu, 2012) From these studies it can be concluded that school leader’s behaviors is very important in implementation of ICT in schools. It was revealed that most of school leaders in Kenya were more than 45 years old; this was attributed to the fact that school leaders were appointed from the serving teachers who had shown desirable leadership qualities and had served the schools for some time This indicated that most of them, without in-serve, had no considerable ICT knowledge that was necessary in the process of implementation of ICT programs in schools. All the B.O.G chairpersons were over 50 years old; this was due to the fact that most of B.O.G chairpersons were retired civil servants or business people who had been appointed to manage the schools

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Conclusion