Professional Evaluation of the Implementation of ICT Policy in Public Secondary Schools in Plateau State

The Federal Government's ICT in Education Policy 2012 mandated integration of ICT into curriculum delivery at all school levels, and professional evaluation of its implementation in Plateau State secondary schools more than a decade on provides an important accountability and policy reform evidence base. This study professionally evaluated the implementation of the Federal Government ICT in Education Policy in public secondary schools in Jos North, Mangu, and Pankshin LGAs of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A mixed evaluation methodology was employed, combining a structured survey of 120 teachers and 20 school heads, ICT facility audits at 25 schools, and structured interviews with 8 state Ministry of Education officials. Evaluation dimensions covered infrastructure provision, teacher digital literacy, ICT integration in curriculum delivery, and policy awareness. Results showed that 80.0 percent of surveyed schools had received some ICT equipment under various government programmes, but only 31.0 percent maintained more than 50 percent of originally received equipment in working condition. Teacher digital literacy was rated as adequate in only 38.3 percent of cases. Formal ICT curriculum delivery was practised by only 22.5 percent of teachers. Policy awareness among school heads was adequate in 65.0 percent but translated into active policy implementation oversight in only 30.0 percent. The study concludes that the ICT policy remains substantially unimplemented in Plateau State public schools and recommends a detailed state ICT implementation action plan with specific annual targets and budget lines.

Keywords: ICT policy evaluation, secondary school, Plateau State, technology integration, policy implementation