Relationship Between ICT Usage for Internal Communication and Principals’ Administrative Quality in Public Secondary Schools in Homabay County

Abstract

Education sub-sector in Kenya has embraced Information Communication Technology (ICT) entrenchment in school management with the expectation of value addition, hence optimized organizational outcomes. Studies in various counties in Kenya on effect of ICT entrenchment in individual subjects reveal improvement in subsequent KCSE means core in the period 2010-2015. However, in Homabay County, KCSE results from the period 2013 has fluctuated negatively dropping by a mean standard score of 2.4 by 2017 for ICT entrenched secondary schools. This was more than the drop of 1.2, 1.0, and 1.0 realized in neighboring Migori, Kisii, and Kisumu Counties respectively for such schools. Literature reveals weak human relations in ICT work environment and that managers may manipulate subordinates administratively through interpersonal human relations quality to positively alter organizational output. Given that ICT-tools do not operate devoid of human environment, the purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between ICT Usage and principals’ administrative quality of public secondary schools in Homabay County. The objective of study were to determine the relationship between ICT-Usage in internal Communication and principals’ administrative quality. The conceptual framework will be drawn from Socio-Technical Systems Theory (Von Bertalanffy,1968). The study employed descriptive and correlation research design. Population of the study consisted of 102 principals, deputy principals, ICT-Usage Teacher-in-charge, and 1498 teachers. Saturated Sampling technique selected 91 principals, deputy principals, ICT-Usage teacher-in-charge, and Simple Random sampling for 310 teachers. Data collection instruments were questionnaire, document analysis, and interview schedule. Test-retest was used for piloting involving 11 principals, 11 deputy principals, 11 ICT-Usage teacher in-charge, and 20 teachers. Qualitative data was categorized thematically as they emerged while quantitative data was subjected to Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) and coefficient of 0.7 considered acceptable. The study findings shall be useful for generating information about the usage of ICT and ways in which it aids principals’ administrative quality. The study found a strong positive correlation between ICT usage in internal communication and principal’s administrative quality. The mobile phone was the most commonly used mode of ICT for internal communication. It therefore recommended enhanced ICT usage for increased principal’s administrative quality.