Funding Modalities of ICTs Requirements for Early Childhood Development Classes: A Zimbabwean Experience

It is Government policy that schools in Zimbabwe, embrace Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in line with the country’s Vision 2030 and global technological inclination. Several studies found that financial impediments undermined use of ICTs as media of instruction. Drawing from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) the present researchers sought to find out how ICTs facilitate teaching and learning for Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes, were funded. The study was conducted in Harare at different types of primary schools that included: government, council, mission and trust. The researchers employed a mixed method approach which adopted both qualitative and quantitative research strategies, processes and procedures. Quantitative data collection through individual face-to-face interviews with school heads preceded data from focus group discussions with ECD teachers and TICs which provided rich narratives to affirm and expand on school heads’ responses. Concurrently, school documents were reviewed. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods and subsequently triangulated to enhance the credibility of the findings. This study exposed limitations in funding of ICT resources for ECD learners at government, council and mission (GCM) schools whilst trust schools were a model in this regard. However, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) has continued to encourage schools to equip themselves with appropriate ICTs according to their means and capacities. This has created a digital divide among schools as well as contradiction with government policy of promoting equity in ICT access and use. A government dedicated ICT budget as well as inter- and multi-sectoral support systems were therefore critical to realise the ECD level ICT requirements. This would go a long way to bridge the digital divide among different types of schools and lay a strong foundation of practical application of ICTs in daily life and future education.