Policy Implementation and Information Communication Technology Integration in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

The world is rapidly adopting ICT, and as it is now a basic element of high-quality education, ICT must be incorporated into education and training. This study looked into the policy implementation challenges concerning ICT integration in Homa Bay County. Through the governments, countries implement ICT policies aimed at achieving the high standard of education required for global competitiveness. The ICT policy in the education ministry has not been fully implemented in Homa Bay County's training institutions, particularly in the study's focus area of TVETs. This reduces the quality of education and training and subsequently the employability possibilities of the trainees in the aforementioned location by causing learning gaps between them and their peers in other places. Three theoretical frameworks—the Top-Down Approach, Street-Level Bureaucracy, and Stakeholder Management theories—shedding light on the hitches and procedures of implementing policies were the foundation of this study in line with the study’s goals. The study used a mixed-method approach for a population of 15085 drawn from the aforementioned institutions in Homa Bay County, with a sample of 384 respondents employing a multistage sampling technique. Closed-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were utilised to gather data, and SPSS was used to display and analyse the data using descriptive analysis. The study showed that although ICT policies exist, implementation remains haphazard due to insufficient institutional capacity, poor stakeholder coordination, inadequate ICT infrastructure, and poor monitoring mechanisms. However, the adoption of ICT was highest at institutions where leadership was powerful, training was structured, and stakeholders were involved. The study then recommends from these results that institutional capacity can be fortified with continuous ICT training, collaborating with the stakeholders positively, investment in accessible infrastructure such as purpose-built internet connectivity, and laying down effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Sustainability requires that the government also strengthen its partnerships with the Non-Governmental organisations and the private sector. The result, moreover, gives useful suggestions to policymakers, educators, and stakeholders who wish to build a more digitally inclusive and effective learning environment throughout the educational institutions in the region