Challenges facing information and communication technology implementation at the primary schools

Abstract

The importance of information and communication technology (ICT) in education in the 21st century cannot be overemphasized. A number of initiatives have been put in place in Ghana to ensure that information and communication technology is extensively used and taught at all levels of our education. The study utilized a descriptive survey design and employed cluster and simple random sampling technique to collect data from 525 pupils in 34 schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The cluster was made up of six communities in the Metropolis, namely, Aboom, Bakaano, Cape Coast, Efutu, Ola, and Pedu/Abura. The sample was chosen on the basis of Cohen et al. recommendation for choosing representative samples. These two sampling techniques helped to arrive at a sample that was fairly representative of the population. The study addressed four research questions: (1) How available are the ICT facilities to pupils and teachers in Cape Coast Metropolis primary schools? (2) How does the use of ICT equipment affect the implementation of ICT programmes in primary schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis? (3) How does the attitude of primary school pupils affect the implementation of ICT in Cape Coast Metropolis? and (4) How does the attitude of teachers teaching ICT in the primary schools affect the implementation of ICT in the Cape Coast Metropolis? The analyses of responses from questionnaires revealed the unavailability of ICT equipment and pupils’ lack of access to ICT infrastructure. The study recommends that Ghana Education Service (GES) should institute technology and technical support units in the various schools to handle technology integration challenges.