Student

Student Identification Number: xxxx

The impact of COVID-19 on the Kenyan education system

Course: MA Education

Module: Practice-Based Inquiry

Tutor: xxxx 

Word Count: 5883

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 Abstract

The paper is a PBI action research on the impact of COVID-19 on the Kenyan education

system. The action research assesses the extent of ICT in the Kenyan education system because

many countries around the globe have been relegated to online and virtual learning during the

pandemic. Therefore the literature review looks at the extent of policy and action regarding ICT

in education. Technology plays an important aspect in everyday life; the impact of technology

has had a critical effect on the trying times of the COVID pandemic. Global institutions such as

the World Bank are working together with educational institutions in various countries to support

the efforts in applying technology to provide remote leaning given that globally, schools have

closed because of the COVID pandemic. Concurrently, the methodology assesses whether the

teachers and parents and teachers are ready and know about ICT and its important role. The

action research from the assessment of personal reflections and teacher reflection identifies the

gap in knowledge and resources that hinder the implementation of ICT in education, therefore,

worsening the impact of the coronavirus on the education system.

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 Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction................................................................................................................................................4
Statement of the problem...........................................................................................................................5
Objectives of the PBI...................................................................................................................................5
Significance of the PBI.................................................................................................................................5
Background and Rationale of the Action Research......................................................................................6
Literature Review........................................................................................................................................7
The reason for ICT in education...............................................................................................................7
The road to ICT competence in Education.............................................................................................10
Levels and indicators.........................................................................................................................10
Methodology.............................................................................................................................................13
Sampling................................................................................................................................................14
Ethical considerations............................................................................................................................14
Research limitations..............................................................................................................................15
Analysis and Findings.............................................................................................................................15
Analysis of teacher interview.............................................................................................................16
Analysis of parents’ interview............................................................................................................18
How institutions in the country are responding to the global health emergency..............................21
Discussion..................................................................................................................................................22
General comments about integrating ICT in education.........................................................................22
How ICT can be implemented in education in rural areas in Kenya.......................................................23
The positive impact of technology in education....................................................................................24
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................24
References.................................................................................................................................................26

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 Introduction

The emergence of the novel COVID-19 virus in late 2019 has affected the lives of

billions of people around the world with the virus morphing into a pandemic of epic proportions.

One of the sectors that have greatly been affected by the virus is the education sector given that

learning institutions across the globe have been closed. The impact of the virus has greatly

affected education in the African continent. It is no secret that most African countries lack the

technological infrastructure that other developed countries in the world have instituted to

promote learning while children are at home. Therefore the closure of learning institutions and

the lack of alternative ways of learning will greatly impact education in the continent. However,

key stakeholders in the education sector in the region have put in place measures to promote

education at home. In Kenya, the government through the ministry of education has created

guidelines to promote learning for the millions of student that are out of school. Among the

strategies used are the radio programs and internet connectivity through Google's loon balloons

that are floating over the Kenyan airspace. The challenge is while the policies provide great

solutions on paper; realistically the countries have not fully implemented the policies. Therefore

there is a great need to evaluate the novel approached by the government to inform practice and

create a policy on how technology can be successfully integrated into the education system. The

research paper is an objective evaluation of the impact of technology in the Kenyan education

sector during the COVID -19.

Statement of the problem

The current COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected education in sub-Saharan Africa

especially because the integration of technology within the education system has failed. In

instances where technology has been integrated, there is a lack of ICT knowledge among

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educators that effectively hinder the delivery and application of education to students at home

(Burgess, S., & Sievertsen, 2020). Moreover, the few learning institutions that are applying ICT

in education are private schools whereas the majority of Kenyan students learning in public

schools face disparity in knowledge outcomes and turn reinforcing the vicious cycle of poverty.

Objectives of the PBI

The main objective of the PBI is to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the Kenyan education

system, especially on learning outcomes. The specific objectives of the study are ;

1. To objectively determine how ICT learning can be effectively implemented in the rural

areas of Kenya.

2. To evaluate some of the problems that arise from the implementation of ICT in

education.

3. To definitively identify the positive aspects of ICT in education and the effective

implementation of the positive aspect.

Significance of the PBI

According to preliminary research conducted, there is no conclusive research on the

effects of COVID-19 in the Kenyan education system. Therefore, this practice-based inquiry will

greatly inform policy and practice related to the successful integration of ICT in schools.

Furthermore, while most learning institutions are grappling with the halt of leaning some are

effectively continuing with distance learning through the application of ICT, therefore the

research will inform on practice and how the best practice can be implemented on other rural

schools. Moreover, learning about the challenges that most public schools face such that the

imbalance of knowledge among students in the country and how to reduce the knowledge gap.

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 Figure 1 Global effect of Corona virus on schools

Additionally, while the current COVID pandemic has served as a cautionary tale of how

lacklustre the country is in implementing education policies the lesson that can be learned is that

the implementation of ICT policies in education should be done quickly in readiness to future

and similar pandemics (Burgess, S., & Sievertsen, 2020). Furthermore, the study will facilitate

the stakeholders in education to adopt proactive measures that promote the effective integration

of ICT in the education system such that the effects of the pandemic on the education system are

cushioned (Erkut, 2020).Conclusively, the study is of great significance of teachers throughout

the country who are grappling with the challenge of providing education to millions of students

who are currently at home. Future studies will find the research relevant given that it will be a

rich source of literature review on the implementation of ICT in the Kenyan education system.

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 Background and Rationale of the Action Research

The rationale of the research stems from the fact that millions of children have been

negatively affected by the coronavirus. The only way that the challenges and the effects of the

pandemic could be abated would be if the country had a competent distance learning program

through ICT. The failure of the country to initiate successful ICT programs in the Kenyan

education system has aggravated the current learning situation where teachers and students sit

idly at home. Beginning the 1980s the integration of technology in the education sector has been

a priority of many developed countries (Kirimi, 2013). However, the same cannot be said of

developing countries such as Kenya who are yet to fully implement ICT in education. In Kenya,

the implementation of ICT in the country has been viewed as a small scale and experimental

(Kirimi, 2013). However, it is realized that the implementation of ICT in education has

progressed within the education sector. The acceleration of the ICT sector in education is due to

the growth of telecommunications technology such as email and the internet.

Additionally, it is crucial to point out that developing countries such as Kenya have not

fully integrated ICT into the education sector, there is the notion that the impact of ICT in the

education sector is inconclusive and the emphasis is placed on the pedagogical approached and

learning that enhance interactive education. However, there is no doubt that ICT has the

capacity of playing a critical role in the Kenyan education sector such as increasing resources

and improving the learning environment (Kirimi, 2013). Moreover, students can acquire skills

that are important in the current global economy.

However, the greater concern about the integration of ICT is access to technology.

According to several studies, the computer to student ratio is quite wide standing at 1computer to

150 students. Though the government tried to address the problem of the ration through the

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laptop project, the project has failed to live up to expectations. Looking at the background of the

implementation of ICT in the Kenyan education sector it can be perceived that there is a

lacklustre approach to technology and its vital role in education (Kirimi, 2013).

Therefore, it is critical to evaluate the challenges that the Kenyan education system is

facing in light of the current COVID- 19 pandemics through the lens of a practice-based inquiry.

The practice-based inquiry will create the foundation on which the researcher will reflect on the

institutional practice regarding ICT in education during the pandemic, through the application of

quantitative and qualitative methods to objectively assess a sample size.

Literature Review

The reason for ICT in education

ICT has in recent years been the focal point of emerging educational policies. Several

countries have effectively developed strategies related to implementing ICT into national

educational policies. The adoption of ICT in the education sector functions to support national

development policies as outlined by Kozma (2008) whereby he identified some important

reasons for integrating ICT in education.

 According to Kozma the importance of investing in ICT to support economic growth

through the development of human capital and the increase of productivity at work.

When children learn important skills in ICT they can nurture skills that make them

competent in the global economy (Kozma, 2008).

 Additionally, the implementation of ICT in education promotes social development by

fostering creativity in young children and sharing knowledge (Kozma, 2008). ICT plays a

big role promoting human rights many have used platforms such as YouTube to highlight

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 the injustices going on in the society, the current George Floyd Protests in the USA is a

reminder of how technology played a big role in the highlighting the systemic racism

taking place.

 A critical reason to invest in ICT in education is to advance reforms in education such as

revising the curriculum and changing assessment or shifting pedagogy.

 Finally, according to Kozma (2008), the implementation of ICT in education will support

the management and accountability within the education sector with great emphasis on

the application of digital data and management systems.

The above features relating to the implementation f ICT in education in a broader social

context. The role of ICT in education should be related to addressing immediate education gaps

and needs, such as the current need to implement ICT in education during the COVID-19

pandemic.

According to the World Bank situational analysis of the current state of education during

the COVId-19 pandemic, several countries have put in place strategies to address the closure of

schools during the pandemic period (Azzi-huck & Shmis, 2020). The Kenyan government

through the ministry of education put in place strategies for enhancing teaching and learning for

the 15 million students affected by the Pandemic. The Kenyan government is going to utilize

four main platforms to promote learning and deliver resources to learners.

The first critical initiative that the government is initiating is partnering with the national

broadcasting agency, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). The KBC will broadcast

educational programs to children across the country; similar initiatives will be taken up by other

stations such as Radio Taifa. Secondly, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum development has

begun broadcasting educational programs on their Edu channel TV (Erkut, 2020). Furthermore,

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most of the channels are easily accessible through YouTube. Concurrently, learners can access

learning resources through the Kenya education cloud which provides free educational content to

learners.

Moreover, the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority under a partnership with Google is

providing 4G network connections to rural and remote communities. Ensuring that students

coming from rural communities have access to the internet. However, the challenge of the

strategies is that idea does not address the critical role the teacher plays in the strategies (Erkut,

2020). Moreover, the strategies imply that all the students have access to ICT gadgets that can

promote technology. Therefore there is need for proper integration of ICT in education such as in

developed countries such as Norway where ICT is embedded in the national curriculum and

linked to the political priorities and aspirations of the Norwegian government.

The road to ICT competence in Education

The only way to successfully integrate ICT in the Kenyan education system is through

benchmarking. Benchmarking calls for collaboration between countries that have successfully

integrated ICT into their education system (Griffiths, 2018). Moreover, benchmarking the

various stakeholders in the education sector will learn of the complex issues and come up with a

framework for the successful implementation of technology in education. The Kenyan

government aims to fulfil some millennial development goals by 2030 such as having electricity

in every household in the country and provide quality education.

The integration of ICT in education is one of the areas that the government is focusing on

achieving; however, there is the need to assess the effects of ICT in education to know how the

technology operates at different levels (Griffiths, 2018). In the research paper, the argument is

built around the need to effectively implement ICT in education through encouraging crucial

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stakeholders such as teachers, to create sustainable development throughout the education system

and enabling the teachers to understand that ICT is a catalyst of change in various levels of

education.

Levels and indicators

To evaluate the impact of ICT on the education system means that the phenomenon

should be evaluated form different levels. Several studies have utilized qualitative and

quantitative methods in evaluating the impact of ICT in the education system.

National

At the national level, there are key factors that should be considered when implementing

ICT programs in the education system. However, the factors are defined according to how

individual countries define and interpret ICT as an important part of the education system. For

example, how Kenya looks at ICT as an integral part of the education system should go beyond

just achieving the development goals of the country but rather how technology in education

would revolutionize learning and make it accessible to millions of children (Griffiths, 2018).

Therefore, implementation ICT should go beyond the policy slogans which exist in blueprint but

not in reality. With the current pandemic if the policy papers were implemented as per the plans

in 2014 than the current challenge would not arise. The government should focus on how other

countries have successfully implemented ICT in the education sector.

Local

At the local level, it is important to observe the extent at which the local authorities

develop strategies that give a clear direction to which ICT will be implemented in the education

system. The challenge with policy papers is that some are so vague that the and contain

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unrealistic visions, for example, the laptop project in Kenya while it was a novel project much

was not evaluated at the local level and evaluate how many teachers have the basic knowledge in

computer applications and how can the gap in knowledge be addressed (Kamau, 2012).

An important aspect concerning the impact at the local level is the structure of support

which provides guidelines on how the technology will be implemented and used. The local

authorities play a fundamental role in providing the support structures which are important in

helping the teachers attain the skill level to use technology in education (Kamau, 2012). The

local authorities can provide oversight to learning institutions to ensure that teachers receive

adequate training before they embark on teaching students using ICT.

Institutional

In the institutional level, the leadership structure of the school is important in creating an

environment that natures the use of ICT in schools. However, the success of the strategies

developed at the institutional level depends on the strategies created by the national and local

authorities (Kamau, 2012). The important aspect is how leadership at the institution is committed

to giving direction on the development of ICT. This does not mean that the current school

leaders lack good leadership to guide and instruct the teachers on the application of ICT, in

Kenya, the school leadership do not have the support of the national and local authorities while

several blueprint policies highlight the support of schools by the government.

However, if the national and local authorities are committed to ICT in education then it

is up to the leadership within the learning institutions to support the initiatives. Moreover, each

school has a different leadership structure such as the teacher community, the student community

or the local community (Kamau, 2012). For example, the local community might have a negative

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attitude against the application of ICT in the school and might impact the school leadership to

adopt a lacklustre approach to the implementation of ICT.

Teacher Education level

The competence of the teachers in using and applying technology in their teaching

practice depends on how much education the teachers have regarding ICT. Therefore, the

success of the implementation of the project depends on the competency of the teachers in using

the technology (Buabeng-Andoh, 2012). There should be ICT literacy indicators for teacher

education and of how teachers are prepared to accept the challenges in their practice as teachers

using technology. Teachers should be trained in different methods of applying ICT and digital

resources (Saito & Umeda, 2019). Conclusively, the point coming across is that teaching training

college should change to adopt practices that those in the teaching profession might perform

using ICT.

Methodology

Practitioner based inquiry is whereby a practitioner such as a teacher thinks about their

work curiously and systematically (Lawrence & Murray, 2013). For example, I am curious about

the impact of coronavirus in my practice as a teacher. PBI is closely related to action research

given that the methodology is quite similar such as the use of case studies and autoethnography.

Therefore in the research, my aim is what I can do to make my practice better such as

contributing to knowledge. Therefore, in the PBI I will be inquiring about the impact of COVID

in learning outcomes and how ICT has been used. I have elected to use both qualitative and

quantitative methods in carrying out my inquiry related to the research question.

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 Research methods are split into two broad categories and that is qualitative methods and

quantitative methods. The choice of methodology depends on the research question and the

philosophy guiding the research. Quantitative methods are collecting and analyzing data through

mathematical and statistical methods while qualitative methods apply to the use of in-depth

information in the analysis of human behaviour. I decided to adopt a narrative approach to

inquire about some questions especially from the teachers. The method equipped me with the

measurable ‘data’ required to test the variables of the research project, while also ensuring that

some of the participants such as the parents are unaware that they are being assessed in the first

place. I hoped that the method of enquiry would create more personal accounts of the humanistic

nature, which express the experiences of the participants in a less schematic manner (Bell

& Waters, 2014)

In the PBI I reflected on the institutional practices to produce an assessment on the

research question. In the research, the investigator makes inquiries from other teachers and

evaluates own practice related to how learning has been shaped by the advent of the coronavirus.

The reflection and consultation with parents and teachers are to assess whether the measures put

in place by the government are working (Lawrence & Murray, 2013, p. xx). Therefore, the

researcher used qualitative methods such as structured phone call interviews with parents and

teachers to get their unbiased point of view. However, to represent the data for analysis in a

qualitative format the researcher assigned numerical values to the information collected from the

sample size and subject the values to descriptive analysis. Moreover, the researcher applied the

use of quantitative data from other studies to deduce findings.

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Sampling

In sampling for my action research participant I applied the use of clustered sampling,

which means the entire population under study consisting of parents and teachers were clustered

into two groups of rural and urban population and the sample derived from the populations (Bell

& Waters, 2014). The sample size was limited to 22 participants who were to be a representation

of the entire population of teachers and parents. The sample size can be viewed as too small to

represent an entire population and meet the margin of error.

However, when looking at the sample size of 10 teachers from the rural areas and urban

areas while adding the 12parents who are consequently divided equally among the rural and

urban population. The sample achieved the representation of different social-economic

background. The limited sample size was due to the limitation of movement due to the current

coronavirus pandemic. The participants were reached through mutual contacts and contacted

through email and phone calls. I made appointments and administered the interview through the

phone or email for those who had access to the internet. As a teacher I was able to relate

cordially with the teachers and parents experience while also expressing empathy. The actions of

the researcher made the participants open up within the established cordial environment without

feeling that they were under investigation.

Ethical considerations

The PBI was subject to certain ethical issues, as mentioned earlier given the challenges of

the coronavirus I was unable to reach the participants and personally deliver consent letters and

approval. Therefore, the consent to take part in the research was verbally issued through a phone

call interview. Therefore, I lacked participant signatures to affirm taking part in the study.

However, I stated that the participation in the research was voluntary; at the end of the research, I

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debriefed the participants thanking them for taking part in the study. Moreover, the participants

were fully informed of the purpose of the studied and assured that the data collected will be

treated confidentially. Additionally, none of the participants was harmed in any way either

psychologically or physically during the duration of the study(Bell & Waters, 2014).

Research limitations

Given that the research was conducted through email and phone call interviews the PBI

lacked the observation aspect. Observation is an important aspect of research because the

researcher can gauge the response of the participant to ensure the validity of the response and

probe for more details (Bell & Waters, 2014). Therefore the research lacked the retrospective

insight such as the observer bias which is important when recording information because the

participant knows they are being examined.

Another challenge in the research is the lockdown situation that affected the data

collection efforts. Ideally, I wanted to conduct face to face interviews but that was not possible

getting the responses from the questionnaires in time for analysis was also a challenge, therefore,

the initial sample size included a margin of error of 3 % thus of 25 participants, 3participants

did were not reachable during the duration of the research. Getting consent to reference and use

existing data on my research during the pandemic, however, the researcher proceeded to

adequately cite and hence give credit to the scholars appropriated from.

Analysis and Findings

The analysis and findings of the research reflect my personal views as a teacher with

what is currently going on in the education sector. I administered two sets of interview questions

one for the parents I was able to contact and the other for the teachers. The following reflects and

analyses the quantitative and qualitative data that was retrieved from the action research. While

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the analysis of the data brought about several findings the key findings concerning the question

will be discussed.

Analysis of teacher interview

A key question that I asked was the average number of minutes that the teachers spent

with the students while using ICT technology. The framing of the question was important in

identifying if any of the teachers have been able to reach out to their students during the current

coronavirus pandemic. As expected with regards to my reflections more than 70 % of the

teachers were not able to communicate with their students. If the data is a representation of the

entire population it means that more than 70% of students in Kenya have not been contacted by

their teachers.

Additionally, 60% of the teachers state that they did not use computers to carry out any

activities and the teachers who were from the urban areas formed the minority who were able to

use computers or the internet to carry out academic activities. The data also saliently represents a

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gap in knowledge in the application of ICT tools among teachers; with teachers from the urban

areas have the technical competency to use the ICT tools.

The critical aspect of the action research was the qualitative analysis of the views and

perception of the teachers. The teachers who were interviewed were asked to reflect on the

impact of coronavirus on the Kenyan education system in light of ICT use. Teachers from the

rural areas reflected on how the coronavirus had negatively affected education because they

lacked equipment and technology to continue with remote leaning. For example, according to

one teacher from the rural areas of Kenya she stated that “As a teacher, in the rural setup I hope

that learning will resume soon, moreover it is quite clear that there is a bias given that students

from private schools in urban areas are continuing with learning, this will affect the performance

of students facing bias during the national exams.” Her view represents the perspective of several

teachers who note that children learning in public primary schools in the rural areas have greatly

been affected by pandemic as compared to the children from private schools in the urban areas.

The perception which also I share is that during the national exams the children from the

rural areas of the country will be greatly disadvantaged. Notably, some teachers expressed some

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optimism in light of the current pandemic and saw it as an opportunity to implement ICT in

education according to a teacher practising in a private school in the nation's capital she stated

that "the pandemic has made me realize how fundamental and important ICT is in the education

system, thankfully i can communicate and educate my student who is at home.”

Concurrently the teachers agreed that for learning to take place while the children are at

home there is need for cooperation between parents and teachers, the teachers can send the

assignments but it is up to the parent to supervise and guide the students at home. The notion was

elaborated by one teacher who stated that "what I have been doing is that I formed a Whatsapp

group with my students under the supervision of their parents and I use the platform to send

some exercise which the parents help to monitor and evaluate. During this trying period, I have

used the team effort to ensure that learning continues.”

Analysis of parents’ interview

Looking at the literature review the focal point of the government trying to address the

education crisis during the current pandemic was through providing learning services through

various ICT technologies. Therefore the reason for interviewing the parents was to critically

identify if the parents did have any of the ICT technologies such as televisions from which their

children could access the learning programs. The first question I asked is if they had

technologies in their house such as a television radio smartphone and computers. Of the 12

respondents, only 16% of the parents had computer devices; most had radio devices meaning that

the government might succeed if they sent educational material through the radio as that would

be the most accessible way to reach children at home.

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 The question was most interesting was if the parents have any training in ICT

technologies such as basic computer education. An outstanding number of parents stated that

they did not have any training in the application of technology. The question raised an interesting

aspect of how parents can give direction to the children at home if they have no idea of how to

use basic commands in the computer. Only 10% of the parents have received training in ICT

technologies and coincidentally the 90% represent both parents from urban and rural areas.

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 Moreover, it was critical to evaluate how many hours’ parents spend studying with their

children. The reasoning behind the question is to evaluate if the children are being supervised by

their parents. Parents from the rural areas mostly spend less than 1 hour with their children,

however evaluating the validity of their response is difficult given that no observation could be

made because of the lack of face to face interaction.

Conclusively, as a parent, I evaluated myself concerning the challenge of the high price

of electricity. From an empathetic outlook, I realized that most parents are having difficulties in

paying the electricity bill. Therefore, the government ought to subsidize the electricity during the

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current pandemic to enable people with children at home use ICT tools and not compromise their

children's education due to lack of electricity.

How institutions in the country are responding to the global health emergency

Leaning institutions in Kenya have been forced to close schools and those that have the

capacity such as private learning institutions in urban areas have been forced to adopt online

learning and digital tools in the wake of the coronavirus. To evaluate how institutions are coping

during the current crisis I reflected on the learning institution that I work as a teacher.

The challenges learning institutions are facing during the crisis

For example, my learning institution is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the

coronavirus outbreak. As part of a private learning institution, I do know that we are struggling

to navigate the crisis and maintaining course delivery, ensuring that the recruitment numbers of

students remains strong and providing clear communication to the staff and students. While

asking some of my colleagues on some of the challenges they think the institution is facing these

are some of the responses I received.

“Keeping the students, faculty, and staff safe and healthy while also trying to keep normal

operations running. We are also very concerned about how the virus will affect enrollment for

summer and fall”

“The biggest challenge is not being able to know the validity of the information. Also living in a

country like Kenya, where the health system is not trustworthy, it’s difficult to say that our

institution is ready for a crisis.”

“The impact on student enrolment has been significant, which means that there's pressure to

reallocate funding to address shortages that have arisen. There are also communication and

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distance study options issues that are creating ongoing problems as we iron out the details of

who needs what information or which resources.”

Discussion

In the end, it is expected that technology will be widely implemented in the Kenyan

education system. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa such as Kenya have adopted the ICT

policies, the resolve to quickly implement the policies is now urgent given the current

coronavirus issue that has affected the education system. Moreover, form the PBI it is observed

that there is little research done in analyzing the attempts of education systems moving at a quick

pace to provide online learning to students out of school.

General comments about integrating ICT in education

From the analysis of secondary content form stakeholders in the Kenyan education

sector, there is a general comment that the transition to online and virtual learning is not as easy

as it seems and it a challenging undertaking for any learning institution. While evaluating the

comment I came to realize that even for a high performing institution such as the one I work for

adopting ICT has been a challenge. However, success results from learning from the experiences

of past failures (Tikam, 2013). For example, my school did not comprehend the extent of the

crisis and when it was realized that the coronavirus was becoming a pandemic the school

scrambled to assemble its IT infrastructure and realized that some equipment was outdated and

could not run current programs. Therefore, the ICT program as a result of COVID-19 became an

expensive endeavour for the school.

Another comment is that moving to online learning raises the problem of equity. As

addressed earlier and from the analysis of the research conducted it was obvious that there are

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schools especially in the rural areas that are lagging in terms of ICT. Moving to online learning

at scale creates disproportionate benefits for students who are already advantaged for example

the rich over poor, urban over rural, and student from highly educated families who know how to

use the ICT equipment over a student from low educated families.

How ICT can be implemented in education in rural areas in Kenya

Looking at the findings of the study I conducted especially on the kind of gadgets that

people own in their households. The ministry of education must make content available through

a wide variety of devices such as radio. Moreover, education stakeholders should ensure that

online learning tools and platforms are available in a variety of operating systems and software

applications (Griffiths, 2018). This is because mobile devices are more popular in many

households and communities that computers and laptops. Therefore ensuring that online learning

opportunities are accessible through mobile devices can be critical in ensuring wider coverage.

Supporting the use of low bandwidth and including offline solutions is key. It is elaborate

especially in the rural areas of Kenya that access to faster inter is a challenge. However, Google

loon balloons hope to address the issue. Consequently, not everyone in rural areas has devices

that can support 4G capabilities (Griffiths, 2018). Therefore, online learning opportunities should

be optimized for low bandwidth in poor rural conditions. Moreover, promoting the accessibility

of offline tools and download can be very useful.

Educational radio and television are one of the most viable options, especially in rural

environments. In several countries such as Kenya, access to broadband internet is not readily

available and online learning is not advisable. The use of more traditional methods such as

television and radio is more realistic and very relevant. In Kenya, a positive initiative that the

24
government has taken is the debuting of educational programs that are easily accessible by

children formal over the country through television and radio.

The positive impact of technology in education

Regarding education, the role of ICT is to familiarize the students with the knowledge of

the use of computers. ICT increases learning gains for students because they can explore their

creativity and other soft skills through ICT applications. Students using technology can achieve

reading and writing skills (Tikam, 2013). Technology enables the teachers such as me to easily

monitor the progress of students and evaluate performances. This also enables the teacher to

analyze and know which student might desire more help.

Therefore, elaborating on the first point technology is enabling learning institutions to

meet the special needs of children. Technology provides for assistive programs and software

thorough which children with special education needs can achieve in areas where traditionally

would not be possible. The major advantage of technology is that it creates for an individualized

learning environment for students and they proceed with learning at their own pace (Blaas,

2012).

An important aspect of technology is the workforce skills that students will acquire the

necessary skills and knowledge to make them competent in today’s global economy which

requires people who have technically competent (Tikam, 2013). Additionally, technology

enables the teachers to reach a large number of students in virtual form; therefore even in the

current health pandemic the teacher can deliver content and ensure that all the students are

learning objectively.

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 Conclusion

In closing ICT is an essential aspect of today's global world, it is, however, sad that the

importance of ICT especially in the education system has manifested itself with the advent of the

COVID-19 virus. There is overwhelming evidence from the literature I analyzed for the action

research that the country's education system is in dire need of ICT tools in the education system.

The action research identifies that although the government has committed to policies that

highlight the implementation of ICT in education the reality is far from true. The recent health

issue that led to the closure of all schools has seemingly exposed the government's inadequacy.

The reason the PBI was fundamental for the research was to objectively evaluate the policies and

realities so that to discern rumours from reality. The methodology made use of interviews and

reflections from colleagues to evaluate the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has

affected the Kenyan education system. Conclusively, the findings from the PBI exposed a gap in

knowledge of ICT among parents and teachers and highlighted the bias between the rural and

urban schools. Notably, the challenges faced by schools and institutions in continuing education

in the current pandemic provides for lessons to be learnt from failure. Success in integrating ICT

in the Kenyan education system will come from the realization of the failures we face today.

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