Head Teachers’ Transformational Leadership and ICT Integration in Public Comprehensive Schools in Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

The Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) was launched in 2016 by the Government of Kenya to pilot the rollout of digital devices to public primary schools. This study investigated the influence of head teachers’ transformational leadership practices on ICT integration in pedagogy in public comprehensive schools in Nyeri County, Kenya. Study objectives were to investigate the effect of head teachers’ transformational leadership practices, and to determine the leadership challenges head teachers encounter in the integration of ICT in pedagogy.  The research was anchored on the Transformational Leadership Theory. The descriptive survey design was employed. Target population comprised 388 head teachers and 1,940 Grade 6 teachers (2,328 in total) from urban, peri-urban and rural strata. Eighty head teachers and 95 teachers were sampled using stratified random sampling. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed using means, standard deviations, frequencies and percentages. Teachers reported an overall mean transformational leadership score of 3.39 (SD = 1.16) across the twelve leadership indicators. 56.7% of respondent agreed, 29.3% disagreed and 14% neutral. Head teachers indicated an average of 3.36 (SD = 1.20) on leadership-related challenges to ICT integration, with 55.4% of responses indicating agreement that structural and institutional hurdles impede integration, 30.6% disagreement and 14% neutral. The study concludes that the integration of ICT in public comprehensive schools is not limited by a lack of leadership but by a specific and correctable gap within transformational leadership. The study would be significant to educational stakeholders for it provides theoretical and practical knowledge on ICT integration.