Use and Challenges of ICT in Secondary Schools in Tanzania: A study of Selected Secondary Schools in Mikindani Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies are crucial in improving teaching and learning in secondary schools. Despite the efforts of  integrating ICT use in secondary schools, challenges are still frequent. This had three objectives to examine the level of ICTs use in teaching and  learning, to evaluate the benefits of using ICTs for teaching and learning and to determine the challenges of using ICTs for teaching and learning in  secondary schools. This cross sectional and descriptive study sought to establish the ICT status in terms of use and challenges in the selected  secondary schools in Mtwara Mikindani Municipality, Tanzania. A sample of 120 secondary school teachers were involved, the study data were  collected mainly through questionnaire supplemented by key informants interviews. The study results show ICT facilitate teaching and learning, it  widens access to education resources, it enhances learners understanding, it facilitate learners to work collaboratively and it improves learners  engagement in the lesson. Poor ICT infrastructure, lack of ICT skills and knowledge, lack of technical support and lack of teachers’ training were the  critical challenges limiting the use of ICT for teaching and learning in secondary schools. This study concludes that ICT use is beneficial to both  students and teachers, and that the level of ICT use is low due to many challenges outside the of schools’ ability to address. Accordingly, the study  recommends that, policy makers to make it mandatory schools to invest in ICT infrastructure including computer laboratory and recruitment of  specialised technician in every five schools for providing technical support.