Relationship Between ICT Usage For Record Keeping And Principals’ Administrative Quality In Public Secondary Schools In Homabay County

Abstract

Information Communication Technology (ICT) entrenchment in school management is vital for optimization of education 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 given the value addition associated with ICT. 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 which may threaten human input. It also indicates that skilled managers may manipulate subordinates positively by referring to efficiently kept records for effective application. Given that principals are key to ICT-tools operations, the purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between ICT Usage in record keeping and principals’ administrative quality of public secondary schools in Homabay County. 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, ICTUsage 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 that both according to ICT teachers and Deputy Headteachers, principals’ ICT usage was regular at a mean of 2.5-3.4. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between ICT usage in record keeping and principal’s administrative quality. Teacher-related records were of most importance to principals whereas for teachers, it was student-related records to achieve optimized school management outcomes. It therefore recommended enhanced ICT usage for record keeping for increased principal’s administrative quality