Teachers’ Preparedness on ICT Integration and Its Influence on Implementation of Competency-Based Education in Public Primary Schools in Kericho County, Kenya

The integration of Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) enables instructors to meet the demand for technology-based learning. By establishing an ICT policy framework and coming up with strategies deemed effective in the delivery of content within the stipulated timelines, Kenya has made impressive improvements. However, a lot still needs to be done, as evidenced by research that has been conducted on integration of ICT in learning institutions, especially in Public Primary Schools, where ICT has not been fully adopted in the teaching and learning environment. This study investigated the influence of teachers' preparedness on ICT integration on Competency Based Education (CBE) implementation in Public Primary Schools in Kericho County. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) guided the study. Moreover, the study adopted a descriptive research design, which is considered appropriate when dealing with people, their behaviour and attributes. This design employed questionnaires to gather data from teachers, Head teachers and the County Director of Education (CDE). The information collected was analyzed and used to describe the influence of teachers' preparedness on ICT integration and the implementation of CBE in Public Primary Schools. The target population was one thousand two hundred and sixty-three (1263) respondents. Stratified random sampling was used in selecting the one hundred and twenty-seven (127) participants who served as the representative sample of the population. The instrument's validity was examined through preliminary research conducted in sampled primary schools in the nearby County of Bomet, which, although not included in the research, had similar characteristics to the Public Primary Schools in the study location. The reliability of the instruments was calculated using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient formula. Reliability coefficients of 0.78 and 0.76 were found for TQ and HTQ, and were appropriate for use since they both met the 0.7 minimum threshold. Data were processed, analyzed, and summarised using frequency tables, means, percentages, and graphs. The study found out that the majority of teachers in the sampled public primary schools lacked ICT skills, which could enable them to integrate ICT in the teaching and learning process. Teachers' level of self-efficacy in ICT integration was also low. Therefore, the researcher suggests that the government, through the Ministry of Education (MoE), should ensure continuous training for all stakeholders in education.