While ICT continues to advance in western and Asian countries, African countries still experience a lag in its implementation, and that continues to widen the digital divide and increase digital literacy challenges.
I see a dozen challenges facing the implementation of computer education in Kenya. They are:
- Lack
of qualified teachers to teach ICT in schools; The demand for ICT
learning has been tremendous and the number of teachers who are trained to
teach ICT cannot meet the demand. There are more students willing to be
taught computing skills than there are teaches to transfer the skills.
- Lack
of computers; Computers are still very expensive and despite
spirited efforts by the government agencies, NGOs, corporate organizations, and individuals to donate computers to as many schools as possible, there
still remains a big percentage of the schools unable to purchase computers
for use by their pupils.
- Lack
of electricity; Many schools are still not yet connected to
electricity; Kenya being a developing country, the government has not been
able to connect all parts of the country to the national electricity grid.
Consequently, those schools that fall under such areas are left handicapped
and may not be able to offer computer studies.
- Computers
are still expensive in Kenya, in a country with a GDP of $1600, the majority of the individuals and schools cannot afford to buy a computer
and consider it as a luxury item, more expensive than a TV. While 2nd hand
computers cost as little as $150 and branded new computers being sold at
$500 or higher.
- Broken
down computers; while a good number of schools have benefited
from donated used computers, they have not been adequately equipped with
the same on maintenance and repair, hence its very common to see a schools
computer lab full of broken-down computers, some repairable and some not.
This has actually been a major problem, and the government has now put
strict measures on any person, NGO or corporate bodies willing to donate
2nd hand computers. (It is seen as a dumping ground); e-waste management.
- Burglary; the
fact that computers are still very expensive in Kenya, makes them a target
for thieves who usually have ready markets to another party at a much less
figure. This has made many schools to incur extra expenses trying to
burglar-proof the computer rooms. This extra expense makes some schools
shy away from purchasing computers for their students.
- Fear
by the administration; there is still a strong perception
especially by the older generation that computers require highly skilled
personnel to operate them, while this may not be the case, some school
administrators also fear that their students will be exposed to adult
sites and other undesired sites, through the use of the internet. Some
also fear the infection of viruses to their computers leading to data
loss, while this may be true to some extent, proper education on the safe
use of computers and help alleviate some of these fears.
- Fear
by the teacher, the teacher may fear being rendered irrelevant by
the introduction of computers in his/her class. The ‘feel’ that the
teacher still remains an authority and a ‘know it all’ in class is
something that most teachers cherish, and anything that makes them
otherwise is deemed an enemy of the classroom.
- Lack
of internet or slow connectivity; most schools do not have Internet access,
due to the high costs involved in the connectivity. On average, it may
cost approximately $120 per month to connect to about 15 computers on a
bandwidth of 128/64kbps. This is considered as very expensive for a very
slow speed.
- Lack
of initiative by the community leaders; the community leaders who
are charged with looking at the interests of a given community do not see
the need to purchase and subsequent installations of computers to their
schools as a priority. They consider health care, provision of water and
other amenities as more important than buying computers for their schools.
- Obsolete
computers lower the morale of both the teacher and the student;
it is very common to find some schools using very old computers running on
win98 or win 95.
- Increased
moral degradation – internet pornography, cyberbullying and
other anti-social behaviors is a worrying emerging problem.
The dilemma which arises in providing educational technology stems
from a lack of financial resources and a limited distributive capacity. In
addition, many African countries have not been able to employ teachers, and
provide resources to keep up with this demand. This brings about compromised
quality of education. Further, many African governments face the predicament of
educational expansion that corresponds with economic development. Despite the
setbacks, access to education is a strong focus of most governments.
Kenya has put in place an ICT policy that aims to improve
the livelihoods of Kenyans by ensuring the availability of accessible,
efficient, reliable, and affordable ICT services. The national policy addresses
several sections, among them includes; Information technology, Broadcasting,
Telecommunications, and Postal services. However, it is the section on
information technology that sets out the objectives and strategies pertaining
to ICT and education.
The relevant objective in this section states that
government will encourage:
“…the use of ICT in schools, colleges, universities, and
other educational institutions in the country so as to improve the quality of
teaching and learning.”
ICT can play a significant role in equalizing opportunities
for marginalized groups and communities. But the paradox is that for those
groups that are unable to cross the technology divide, ICT is yet another means
to further marginalize them. Education has a major role to play in resolving
this problem. Thus, unless ICT becomes part of both the delivery and content of
education, the disadvantage will deepen and development will suffer.
But the failure to use ICT is itself a result of the digital divide and
knowledge divides that exist, and their causes are deeply embedded in the
complex historical and socio-cultural context of the country. Fortunately, with
the Vision 2030 goals, the Kenyan government has begun to implement strategies
that will address these paradoxes.