CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1.
BACKGROUND TO
THE STUDY
Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) has taken over the global economy. Most
things if not all require ICT to be performed. The education sector is not left
out of this as Information and Communication Technology(ICT) has improved the
method of teaching and learning; it has made teaching and learning less difficult.
Teaching and learning with the aid of ICT has grown beyond the four walls of a
classroom to learning from the comfort of one’s apartment. This
advancement in technology has equally
bridged the digital divide between information rich and poor society. According
to Tinio (2002) ICT has the potentials of increasing relevance and quality of
education in developing countries and the field of education has been affected
by ICT, which have indisputably affected teaching, learning, and research. Many
scholars have proven through their works the much benefits of ICT to the
quality of education (Yusuf, 2005).
Computer literacy is the
ability to use computers to perform a variety of tasks and is becoming
fundamental to the learning process (Osuji, 2010).
Computer literacy is being able
to handle a wide range of varying computer applications for various purposes.
Albirini (2004) considers computer literacy as educators’ belief about their
computer knowledge and skills.
Due to the fact that state
governments in Nigeria needed to fully implement the National Policy on
Computer Education in Nigeria’s policy, they introduced computer literacy
education across secondary schools in Nigeria in 1997 (Bada, Ajibade & Ojedokun, 2009, and Adomi
& Kpangban, 2010). The reasons for this are: to introduce the use of
computer in teaching, to make the present generation appreciate the use of
computer, to make both students and teachers appreciate the benefits of
computer to the education sector, and to expose both students and teachers to
an unlimited body of knowledge.
Similarly, in the Federal
government of Nigeria’s bid to fully implement the use of computer across
schools, the National Policy on Information Technology was introduced in 2001
in order to relate the message of computer literacy to secondary schools in the
rural areas.
With such policies in place,
steps have been taken to improve the use of ICT in both teaching and learning
from the primary to the tertiary education.
However, the situation in
primary and secondary schools across the country has not really improved; as we
still witness cases of most schools without computer laboratories and those who
try to have are without competent teachers to teach amidst other factors. Computer
education is really lacking across junior secondary schools, though some
private schools are trying to provide few computers for learning.
A study that was carried out by
Jegede and Owolabi (2003) when comparing the Nigeria National Computer Policy
of 1987 with what is currently obtainable across secondary schools in Nigeria
revealed that computer education is more practiced in Federal unity schools and
a few private schools. These schools are located in the urban areas which means
that more schools in the urban areas practice computer education compared to
schools in the rural areas. A study carried out by Osunwusi and Abifarin (2013)
to determine the level of computer literacy revealed that private secondary
schools have access to and use computers in teaching and learning compared to
public schools. Bearing the current state of computer literacy in the urban
areas, the need to study the level of computer literacy among junior secondary
school in rural areas generate much questions like: Is computer literacy taught
in rural areas? Is computer science taught in junior secondary schools? Are
schools in the rural areas implementing the National Policy on Education in
Nigeria policy? These questions call for much concern as this study is meant to
examine the level of computer literacy among the junior secondary school
students in Enugu North Local government area in Enugu state. Most especially
now the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board introduced the use of Computer
Based Test (CBT) for its examination. Of which one of the criteria for the exam
is that one must be a computer literate; and being a computer literate requires
a good foundation like computer being taught right from the primary school. A
student who is taught computer in primary and secondary school will not have
problem in JAMB’s examination; that is why it is pertinent for this study to
examine the level of computer literacy among the junior secondary school
students and make recommendations where necessary to improve computer literacy across
junior secondary schools in Enugu state.
1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Computer
literacy has been one of the problems of the education sector in Nigeria,
especially in Enugu state considering the current trend of technology.
The level of computer literacy in
junior secondary schools across the country is really alarming as most schools
do not teach computer at all. Schools who try to teach are more into theory
than practical; there are no computers to match theory with practice; schools
who have computers have it in limited number.
Similarly, another problem tied to the
low level of computer literacy among the junior secondary school is the absence
of competent teachers. Some teachers who teach computer science especially in
the rural areas are unskilled. They are just good on the basics of computer,
and knowledge of this alone cannot give them the avenue to fully educate the
students on computer literacy.
These are some of the problems this
study will give recommendations on.
1.3.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aim of this study is to examine
the level of computer literacy among the junior secondary school students in
Enugu North Local government area in Enugu state.
Specifically, the study intends to:
I. To
know if there are competent teachers of computer science in Enugu North local
government area.