Strategies for Enhancing ICT Applications in the Attainment of Quality Basic Education in Public Secondary Schools.

Abstract

This study was set to assess the strategies for enhancing ICT application in the attainment of quality basic education in public secondary schools in Arusha District, Tanzania. Although many secondary schools introduced computers in great numbers starting early 1990s, there are limited information on their use to facilitate delivery of services in school administration and management. The extent to which ICT is being used in managing secondary schools, the types of administrative uses of ICT by school head teachers, students and challenges affecting the integration of ICT in the management systems in secondary schools needed to be adequately addressed. This can only be achieved if there are laid down strategies of enhancing ICT applications in the attainment of quality basic education in public secondary schools Arusha District, Tanzania. The study was guided by Constructivism Theory in Education and Visscher (1992) conceptual model of school information system, which were used to show the relationship between variables. The research design that used was descriptive survey. Questionnaires, Interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. The study established that schools were taking several steps to help in enhancing ICT applications such as looking for donations from the government, prioritizing purchase of ICT equipment, using parents‟ involvement to buy computers, projectors, tablets and provision of seminars and trainings. The study recommends that effort should be made by the government to allocate teachers skilled in ICT to each school to impart ICT skills to school headmasters, teachers and students. The study concludes that more support need to be given to schools to enable them to achieve their dream of fully implementing the usage of ICT in the management of school activities. Strategies include Donation of computers by NGOs and well-wishers, Parents‟ contributions to buy ICT equipment‟s, Educating staff on the importance of ICT use in school administration, Schools ICT workshops, seminars and training, CT should be as a mandatory subject and a tool for teaching and learning in all subject.