UTILIZATION OF DIGITAL FACILITIES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION IN UMUAHIA EDUCATION ZONE OF ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the utilization of digitalization in school supervision and inspection in the administration of public secondary schools in the Umuahia education zone of Abia State, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design with a population of 646 stakeholders while the sample size was 162 drawn using a simple random sampling technique. It comprised 42 Principals/Vice principals, 100 teachers, and 20 inspectors. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured checklist and questionnaire titled, “Utilization of Digital Facilities in Public Secondary Schools Supervision and Inspection in Umuahia Education Zone of Abia State, Nigeria Questionnaire” (UDFPSSIQ) which was validated by two experts from Education Measurement and Evaluation and Education Management and Planning, Imo State University, Owerri. The reliability of the instrument was established at ‘r’ = 0.83 using the Cronbach Alpha statistical tool. Three research questions guided the study. Research question 1 was analyzed using frequency and simple percentages of 50 % benchmark. While mean and standard deviation were used to examine research questions 2 and 3.The findings revealed a 20% total average indicating that the non-availability of digital devices, and the extent the digital devices are used for the digitalization of school supervision and inspection are low (cluster mean = 1.7), the respondents agreed to a high extent the strategies suggested by stakeholders for digitalization of school supervision and inspection in public secondary schools (cluster mean = 2.9). Based on the findings, it was recommended that the government develop a sustainable digital concept for school supervision and inspection, adequate digitalisation resources and Integration of digital competencies in educational programmes.