The Role of NGOs in Bridging the Digital Literacy Access Gap in Public Primary Schools in Buuri and Isiolo Sub-County

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of Non-Governmental Organizations in bridging the digital literacy access gap in public primary schools in Buuri and Isiolo sub-counties. The study used a comparative approach, comparing access in schools with NGO sponsorship and those without. The objectives were: to assess the availability of digital learning infrastructures in NGO-sponsored and non-sponsored public primary schools in Buuri and Isiolo sub-counties; to assess the functionality of digital learning infrastructures in sponsored and non-sponsored schools; to assess the Digital Literacy programme (DLP) capacity-building programs in sponsored and non-sponsored public primary schools; and to evaluate the relevance of digital content in sponsored and non- sponsored public primary schools. The study was guided by Jan Van Dijk’s Theory of Digital Technology Access and Social Impacts. The researcher used a descriptive research design, and the location of the study was Buuri and Isiolo sub-counties in Meru and Isiolo counties respectively. The study targeted 79 public primary schools in the 2 sub-counties, 79 headteachers, 79 ICT teachers, 2,192 Grade 6 learners, and their 79 Grade 6 class teachers. The researcher selected a 20% sample to get 16 schools, 16 headteachers, 16 ICT teachers, and 16 class teachers. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select 11 schools with NGO sponsorship while simple random sampling was used to select 5 schools without sponsorship for the comparative sample. Systematic random sampling was used to get a 15% sample from the learners – 329 Grade 6 learners. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, and observation checklists. The questionnaires were tested and re-tested with 7% of the sample – 1 school. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the instruments, and the instruments were found reliable with all registering coefficients of 0.707, 0.922, and 0.817 respectively. Descriptive data was analyzed using percentages, mean, and standard deviation scores, while data from interviews was organized into themes and reported using quotes and narration alongside the findings from descriptive data. The findings showed that sponsored schools have better access to digital literacy, with the mean scores of data on each of the four objectives being much higher and standard deviation scores lower than the scores of the non-sponsored schools. Data showed that sponsored schools have better infrastructure, more functional digital gadgets, more regular DLP training programs, and better interactive digital content. Simple regression analysis showed that NGO-sponsored schools had lower p-values than the non-sponsored schools for all the variables in all the four objectives. These results indicate significant differences in infrastructure availability, functionality of the infrastructure, training programs and the relevance of the digital content available, supporting the rejection of the null hypotheses. The study concludes that schools with NGO sponsorship have better access to digital literacy and recommends among other things, more NGO support for other public primary schools, more structured and intense in-service training of teachers, and further research on the impact of