Role of Information Communication Technology in Literacy Education in Kenya

Abstract

The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in literacy education is critical to ensuring that Kenya is able to create individuals with raised self-esteem, equipped with skills that will enable them to derive socio-economic benefits of greater workforce productivity as well as those associated with lifelong learning. Consequently, incorporating ICT in literacy education may help to develop the kind of citizenry required in the information society; improve learning outcomes in education; and enhance the quality of life in general. However, despite the enthusiasm exhibited in exploiting ICTs potential in education use in Kenya, the acquisition of learning outcomes in literacy are still low. Key impediments include access, funding, inadequate ICT facilities, high cost of development of interactive e-learning content, high Internet costs in the region, as well as unaffordable infrastructural maintenance costs occasioned by the dynamic natures of ICTs. In addition, the inadequate capacity of teachers has been an obstacle to making ICT a medium of instruction or a tool to support management processes. As well, the absence of ICT Curriculum at Early Childhood Development (ECD) and primary levels does not help cultivate a computing culture early in life. Thus, in order for meaningful impact on literacy education to be realized, the ICT investment programmes in education in the country should be refocused and redirected to the ECD and primary levels of education as the starting point, and henceforth be concentrated on some five variables identified widely as likely to create the desired results, namely: enhancement of teaching and learning; raising access to literacy education; training of teachers; localizing content; and creating a literacy-conducive environment. This paper explores how ICT can contribute to making literacy education more effective and the challenges that require to be overcome in order to achieve this.