Factors influencing ICT implementation in inclusive primary schools in Manzini region, Eswatini

Abstract

As rapid technological development constantly drives and reshapes the economy, it is vital for learners and teachers to be highly proficient in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The data collected revealed that the barriers to ICT integration can be viewed as deprivation to both teachers and learners, especially those with diverse disabilities and learning difficulties. ICT implementation is therefore more than just change driven by technology. It is an opportunity to assist everyone, including people from all income groups, policy-makers and leaders to support converging technologies to create a more inclusive and humane future. The research was designed as a case study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted, lesson observations were undertaken and qualitative questionnaires were administered as methods of data collection. The research population included principals and ICT teachers in the Manzini Region. The sample was made up of two principals and 13 teachers. The data was transcribed and presented as raw data and thereafter analysed thematically. The data collected was analysed qualitatively. The findings of the study were that the factors influencing ICT implementation in inclusive primary schools in Eswatini included a lack of skills and knowledge from teachers; the lack of teaching and learning time allocated to ICT; insufficient teaching and learning materials; a lack of motivation and an insufficient number of teachers. Other factors included the lack of support and collaboration from principals and the Government of Eswatini. In view of the above factors, some recommendations were made, namely, that the Ministry of Education should reintroduce ICT in all inclusive primary schools. The schools that offer ICT should consider increasing the time allocated for ICT and enhance Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for ICT teachers. They should also provide for learners with diverse disabilities and learning difficulties a variety of teaching materials such as assistive devices to enhance teaching and learning.

Njengaloku kutfutfuka ngekushesha kwetebuchwephesHe kuchubeka kucondzisa futsi kwakhA kabusha nemnotfo, kumcoka kutsi bothishela nebafundzi babe nelikhono leliphakeme lekusebentisa Lwatiso neKuchumana ngeTebuchwepheshe (i-ICT). Ledatha legcogciwe ivete kutsi tihibe tekuhlanganisa i-ICT tingabukwa njengekuncisha bothishela nebafundzi, ikakhulu kubafundzi labaphila nekukhubateka lokwehlukahlukene kanye nebulukhuni ekufundzeni. Kufezekiswa kwekusetjentiswa kwe-ICT ngako-ke kungetulu kwekutsi nje kuchutjwa ingucuko yetebuchwepheshe, kodvwa kulitfuba lekusita wonkhe umuntfu, lokufaka ekhatsi bantfu lababuya kuwo onkhe emacembu etemnotfo, labo lababhala tinchubomgmo nebaholi, kutsi basekele kuhlanganiswa kwetebuchwepheshe kute kudaleke likusasa lelifaka lonkhe luntfu. Lolucwaningo luhlelwe njengesifundvolucwaningo lwesehlakalo. Kubanjwe emainthaviyu buso nebuso, kwentiwa sifundvo sekucaphela kanye nemaphephambuto elizingasimo njengetindlela tekugcogca idatha. Linanibantfu lalolucwaningo lifaka ekhatsi bothishelanhloko kanye nabothishela labafundzisa i-ICT eSigodzini sakaManzini Eswatini. Lesamphuli yakhiwa bothishelanhloko lababili kanye nabothishela laba-13. Ledatha yabhalwa yetfulwa njengaloko injalo ingakahlutwa kwase kutsi-ke emva kwaloko yahlatiywa ngekwengcikitsi. Ledatha leyagcogcwa yahlatiywa ngekwelizingasimo. Lokutfolwe ngulesifundvolucwaningo kutsi timbangela letinemtselela ekufezekiseni kusetjentiswa kwe-ICT etikolweni temabanga laphansi letifaka wonkhe wonkhe Eswayini, kufaka ekhatsi kuswelakala kwemakhono nelwati kubothishela; sikhatsi sekufundzisa nekufundza lesinganeli lesiphakelwa kufundziswa kwe-ICT; ticukatsilwati tekufundzisa nekufundza letingakaneli; kubete umdlandla kanye nelinani lelingakaneli labothishela. Lenye imbangela kungabikhona kwekusekelwa nekuhlanganyela lokuvela kubothishelanhloko nakuhulumende weleSwatini. Ngekubuka letimbangela letingenhla, kwentiwe-ke letincomo letilandzelako: Litiko Letemfundvo kufanele kutsi liphindze letfule i-ICT kuto tonkhe tikolo temabanga laphansi letifundzisa wonkhe wonkhe, tikolo letifundzisa i-ICT kufanele kutsi tikubheke kwengetwa kwesikhatsi sekufundzisa i-ICT kanye nekwenta ncono Kutfutfukiswa Ngalokuchubekako Kwebungcweti (i-CPD) kubothishela labafundzisa i-ICT, kantsi futsi letikolo kufanele tinake nebafundzi labaphila nekukhubateka lokwahlukahlukene nebulukhuni bekufundza ngekutsi banikwe ticukatsilwati tekufundzisa letahlukahlukene njengetisetjentiswa tekusita kute kwentiwe ncono kufundzisa nekufundza.

Jaaka lebelo la tlhabololo ya thekenoloji le tswelela go tsamaisa le go bopa ikonomi sešwa, go botlhokwa gore barutwana le barutabana ba nne le bokgoni jo bo kwa godimo mo tirisong ya Thekenoloji ya Tshedimosetso le Tlhaeletsano (ICT). Data e e kokoantsweng e senotse gore dikgoreletsi tsa kgokaganyo ya ICT di ka bonwa e le tlhaelo mo barutabaneng le barutwaneng, bogolo segolo barutwana ba ba nang le bogole jo bo farologaneng le mathata a go ithuta. Ka jalo, tsenyotirisong ya ICT ga se fela diphetogo tse di tsamaisiwang ke thekenolooji; ke tšhono ya go thusa mongwe le mongwe, go akarediwa batho go tswa ka ditlhopheng tsotlhe tsa lotseno, badiradipholisi le baeteledipele, go tshegetsa dithekenoloji tse di kopanang go tlhama isago e e akaretsang e bile e le molemo. Patlisiso e rulagantswe jaaka thutopatlisiso e e lebelelang kgetsi. Go dirilwe dipotsolotso tsa namana, go nnile le kelotlhoko ya dithuto mme go dirisitswe dipampiripotsoloto tse di lebelelang mabaka jaaka mekgwa ya go kokoanya data. Setlhophasegolo sa patlisiso se akareditse bagokgo le barutabana ba ICT kwa Kgaolong ya Manzini kwa Eswatini. Sampole e ne e dirwa ke bagokgo ba le babedi le barutabana ba le 13. Data e ne ya gatisiwa mme ya tlhagisiwa e le data e e sa fetolwang mme morago ya lokololwa go ya ka meono. Data e e kokoantsweng e lokolotswe go ya ka mabaka. Diphitlhelelo tsa thutopatlisiso e nnile gore dintlha tse di tlhotlheletsang tsenyotirisong ya ICT mo dikolong tsa poraemari tse di akaretsang kwa Eswatini di akaretsa tlhaelo ya bokgoni le kitso mo ntlheng ya barutabana; nako e e sa lekanang ya go ruta le go ithuta e e rebolelwang ICT; dimatheriale tse di sa lekanang tsa go ruta le go ithuta; tlhaelo ya thotloetso le palo e e sa lekanang ya barutabana. Ntlha e nngwe e nnile tlhaelo ya tshegetso le tirisanommogo go tswa mo bagokgong le puso ya Eswatini. Ka ntlha ya dintlha tse di fa godimo, go dirilwe dikatlenegiso tse di latelang: Lefapha la Thuto le tshwanetse go itsese sešwa ICT mo dikolong tsotlhe tsa poraemari tse di akaretsang, dikolo tse di tlamelang ka ICT di tshwanetse go akanya ka go oketsa nako e e rebolelwang ICT le go tokafatsa Tlhabololo e e Tswelelang pele ya Seporofešenale (CPD) ya barutabana ba ICT, mme dikolo tseno di tshwanetse gape go akanyetsa barutwana ba ba nang le bogole jo bo farologaneng le mathata a go ithuta ka go ba tlamela ka dimatheriale tse di farologaneng tsa go ithuta di tshwana le didiriswa tse di thusang go tokafatsa go ruta le go ithuta.

Njengoba intuthuko yezobuchwepheshe esheshayo iqhubeka nokugqugquzela nokwakha kabusha umnotho, kubalulekile ukuthi abafundi nothisha babe nekhono eliphezulu ekusebenziseni Ulwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana. Imininingwane eqoqiwe iveze ukuthi izithiyo ekuhlanganisweni zoLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana zingabhekwa njengokuncishwa amathiba kothisha nabafundi, ikakhulukazi abafundi abanokukhubazeka okuhlukahlukene nobunzima bokufunda. Ukuqaliswa koLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana kungaphezu nje koshintsho oluqhutshwa ezobuchwepheshe; kuyithuba lokusiza wonke umuntu, kufaka phakathi abantu abavela kuyo yonke imikhakha yabaholayo, abenza izinqubomgomo kanye nabaholi, ukusekela ubuchwepheshe obuhlanganayo ukudala ikusasa eliyinhlanganisela futhi elinobuntu. Ucwaningo lwakhiwe njengesifundo esiwucwaningo lwesigameko. Kwenziwa inhlolokhono noma zingxoxo ubuso nobuso, kwenziwa ukubhekwa kwezifundo futhi kwenziwa nemibuzo esezingeni elifanele njengezindlela zokuqoqa imininingwane. Abantu abafakwe ocwaningweni babandakanya othishanhloko kanye nothisha boLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana esifundeni saseManzini eSwatini. Isampula yayenziwe kothishanhloko ababili nothisha abayi-13. Idatha yabhalwa futhi yethulwa njengedatha engahlungiwe futhi ngemuva kwalokho yahlaziywa ngokulandelana. Imininingwane eqoqiwe yahlaziywa ngokufanele. Okutholakele kulolu cwaningo ngukuthi izinto ezinomthelela ekusebenzeni koLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi ezibandakanya bonke abantu eSwatini zibandakanya ukuntuleka kwamakhono nolwazi kothisha; isikhathi esinganele sokufundisa nokufunda esabelwe uLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana izinto zokufundisa nokufunda ezinganele; ukungabi nogqozi kanye nenani elinganele lothisha. Enye yezimbangela ukungabikho kokwesekwa nokusebenzisana kothishanhloko nohulumeni wase-Eswatini. Ngenxa yalezi zinto ezingenhla, kwenziwa izincomo ezilandelayo: uMnyango Wezemfundo kufanele uphinde ufake uLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana kuzo zonke izikole zamabanga aphansi ezibandakanyekayo, izikole ezifundisa uLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana kufanele zicabangele ukukhulisa isikhathi sokufundisa esabelwe uLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana futhi zithuthukise Ukuthuthukiswa Okuqhubekayo Kwezobuchwepheshe kothisha boLwazi Lwezobuchwepheshe Kwezokuxhumana, futhi lezi zikole kufanele futhi zihlinzeke izitshudeni ezinokukhubazeka okuhlukahlukene nobunzima bokufunda ngendlela yezinhlobonhlobo zezinto zokufundisa ezinjengamathuluzi okusiza ukuthuthukisa ukufundisa nokufunda.