Effect of ICT on Literacy Levels among Lower Primary School Pupils in Kisii Central Sub-County, Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite reforms in the education sector, literacy levels remain low in Sub-Saharan Africa although literacy levels in lower grades determine end-of-course academic performance of learners. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of ICT on literacy levels among lower primary school pupils in Kisii Central Sub-county, Kisii County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were; to find the effect of ICT on pupils' writing abilities, to find the effect of ICT on pupils' reading abilities, to find the effect of ICT on pupils' spelling abilities and to find the effect of ICT on pupils' abilities to perform operations of numbers using signs. The study was anchored on Education Production Function Theory. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and was conducted. The target population of the study was, 78 head teachers, 667 teachers of lower primary, 3 curriculum support officers and 2 Quality and Standards Officers. Stratified sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 16 out of schools was used for data collection because this was 20%. The sample of 124 lower primary school teachers was drawn from 667 using stratified sampling while 3 curriculum support officers and 2 QASOs were selected using purposive sampling. Quantitative data was collected by administering questionnaires to class teachers of classes one, two, and three. Academic results of the past three terms needed to establish literacy levels was collected using document analysis guides. Quantitative data from questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research findings indicated that Pupils exposed to essential instructional practices resources such as iPads, projectors, laptops, and books score highest in examinations. Very strong correlation exists between the use of ICT on pupils' spelling abilities and their scores in examinations, r = .866. ICT use enhances pupils' ability in reading and performance operations of numbers using signs. It was also revealed that the more the pupils use ICT tools, the poorer their writing abilities as shown by r = -.228. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should consider increasing the number of ICT resources in schools to match the enrolment of learners. During the holidays, the Ministry of Education should organize and provide in-service training for teachers especially in lower primary classes where the implementation of the competency-based curriculum has started.