Evaluation of an ICT-Based School Management System in a Sample of Private Secondary Schools in Anambra State

This study evaluates the implementation of ICT-based school management systems in private secondary schools in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Digital school management systems are designed to streamline administrative processes including student records management, fee payment tracking, examination result processing, and parent communication. Their adoption is growing in private schools, yet systematic evaluation of their utility and challenges in the Nigerian context is sparse. A descriptive survey design was employed with a sample of 10 school principals, 40 administrative staff, and 60 parents from ten private secondary schools in Onitsha and Awka. Validated questionnaires and interview schedules were used to assess system effectiveness, user satisfaction, and implementation barriers. Findings indicate high satisfaction with result processing and fee payment modules but low satisfaction with parent communication features due to low parental digital literacy. Data security concerns were raised by over 40 percent of administrative staff. Frequent system downtime linked to internet instability was the most cited operational challenge. The study recommends that private schools adopt locally hosted hybrid management systems, conduct parent digital literacy training sessions, and establish data backup protocols to protect student information. Keywords: school management system, ICT, private secondary schools, Anambra State, administrative technology