Perception of availability and use of ICT training in Nakawa Vocational Training Institute

Abstract

In Uganda most parents have the perception that vocational education is meant for school dropouts with poor performance in primary and post primary education. Many of these students are normally brought to these institutions as a last resort with no future for academic progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of the staff and trainees to the use of ICT in training in NVTI. A cross-sectional survey using a case study of Nakawa Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) in Uganda based on qualitative research method mainly was undertaken. The researcher used a combination of questionnaires, interview and observation guides as research instruments. The study established that in NVTI, there are ICT facilities in place; this included radio facilities, print materials, digital cameras, data projectors and whiteboards, television, computers, and internet. These facilities were not uniformly distributed within the sections of the institute. Secondly there were no documented strategic plan and policy in place to champion use of ICT. 62% of instructing staff lacked skills and competences in the use of ICT for training. Further still most staff had negative perception of the use of ICT in vocational training. Lack of time to develop instructional materials was the main barrier that hindered use of ICT. In conclusion, ICT is not widely used at NVTI because both trainees and instructors have negative perception of the use of ICT in vocational training and this was further due to the limited access to ICT facilities and the Internet. There are no clearly documented policy guidelines and strategic plans to make use of available ICT facilities and the Instructors lack competences to make holistic use of available resources and equipment. Lastly there are barriers which have negatively impacted on the use of ICT for training. It is recommended that basic training be given to instructors in ICT use for training and strategic plans need to be put in place to change the negative perception of staff about the use of ICT in vocational education.