Principals’ Utilization of Information and Communication Technology in Secondary School Management in Benue State

Abstract

This study investigated extent of principals’ utilization of information and communication technology in secondary school management in Benue State. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level. The study adopted descriptive research design with the population for the study at 749 principals, made up of 385 male and 364 female in public secondary schools in Benue State. The entire population was used as the sample for the study. Researcher structured instrument titled, “Principals’ Utilization of Information and Communication Technology Questionnaire” (PUICTQ), was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts, two from Educational Administration and Planning of Educational Foundations Department and one from Educational Measurement and Evaluation of Science Education Department, all in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Cronbach’s alpha was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument which yielded an overall coefficient of 0.797. Copies of the instrument were administered and retrieved after completion by the researcher with the help of three research assistants. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result revealed that the utilization of ICT by school principals recorded low extent in the management of human resources and financial resources in secondary schools in Benue State while hypotheses revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female principals on the extent to which principals utilize ICT to enhance human and school financial resources in Benue State. Based on the findings, the study recommended among other things that principals should encourage staff on-line trainings and workshops as well as ensure that ICT applications are used in budget preparations a forecasting and in all school financial accounting matters.