Marginalized Knowledge: An Agenda for Indigenous Knowledge Development and Integration with Other Forms of Knowledge

ICTs in Secondary Education in the uMhlatuze Municipality: an Investigation into their Utilization, Impact and Challenges by Learners
Mduduzi Ntetha⁴⁶, ([e-mail])

Department of Library and Information Science

University of Zululand

South Africa

And
Janneke Mostert⁴⁷ ([e-mail])

Department of Library and Information Science

University of Zululand

South Africa

Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the utilization of ICTs by staff and learners of high schools in UMhlatuze city. A survey was conducted in all 15 high schools in UMhlatuze and Questionnaires were administered to all of them. It was found that the utilization of ICTs is largely poor due to uncoordinated access to resources, poor planning and poor implementation of ICTs policies and guidelines. It was also found that some ICTs such as cell phones and computers were relatively commonly available at the schools. Access to some ICTs such as Internet, or the computer were however restricted. The study recommends that the department of education should strengthen ICT support to be part of learning strategies. Support and maintenance of especially computer equipment and access to the Internet should be a high priority and the department of educations budgeting allocation to schools, as many schools do not have the means to support these systems. Only data obtained from learners is reported in this paper.

1. Introduction
Education systems worldwide are facing formidable challenges in trying to provide learners with an education that allows them to cope with the demands made on them by today’s information-based global economy. Equipping learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to an ever-evolving marketplace and social environment and to engage in life long learning, has proved a struggle for most educational systems.
Many countries have invested in information and communications technologies (ICTs) as a way to pursue these educational goals. ICTs are generally regarded as technologies that support an individual’s ability to manage and communicate information electronically, such as the Internet and e-mail. In most schools, computers and the Internet are seen as the ICT tools that can most enhance the learning process, especially within the context of recording, processing, storing, and sharing information amongst staff members and students.