Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the

Educational System of the Third World Countries as a

Pivotal to Meet Global Best Practice in Teaching and
Development
A Kingsley*

Department of Educational Foundations, Guidance and Counselling, University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa
Ibom State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author:
A Kingsley
Department of Educational Foundations, Guidance and Counselling
University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Tel: +234-08137640978
E-mail: [email protected]
Received date: November 23, 2017; Accepted
date: December 27, 2017; Published date: December 29,
2017

Citation: Akarowhe K (2017) Information Communication

Technology (Ict) in the Educational System of the Third World
Countries as a Pivotal to Meet Global Best Practice in Teaching
and Development. Am J Compt Sci Inform Technol 5:2. doi:
10.21767/2349-3917.100010

Copyright: © 2017 Kingsley A. This is an open-access article

distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.

 
Visit for more related articles at American Journal of
Computer Science and Information Technology
Abstract

The rising trend of poor performance of students and teachers

on the aggregate in the third world countries have left relevant
stakeholders in the educational enterprise and government little
doubt of national set-back in human capital development
through the leaning/teaching processes. This scenario tends to
rate the third world countries as been educationally backward
compare to developing and developed countries. Inspite of
numerous possible steps taking by various stakeholders in the
education sector to salvage the situation, little or no result has
been proven to be solution insight. The innovation of the
Information Communication Technology (ICT) in modern
teaching, which is a pivotal for national development, has not
been inculcated in third world countries. It is against this
background that this paper positioned that Information
Communication Technology (ICT) should be inculcated in the
educational system of the third world countries for teaching and
development. This will ensure that the third world countries
educational system would be able to meet best global practice
in teaching which is a pivotal for development.

Keywords

Information communication technology (ICT); Educational

system; Teaching; Development third world countries
Introduction

Global changes put pressure on Nations of the world to

constantly acquire/apply new skills and techniques in teaching
through adoption of relevant technologies to cope with trends
of globalization. Education, with the help of ICT is at the
confluence of powerful and rapidly shifting technological and
political forces that will shape the structure of educational
systems across the globe.

Concept of Development

The word development is a polysemous in nature. This buttress

the fact, that different people in different discipline have different
connotation to the word development. Development generically
refers to an institutional change which is accompanied by
increase in welfare, and fall in cost of living (Akarowhe) [1]. In
other word, it is a reduction in unemployment, inequality and
poverty for a given nation. It can also be seen, as the later
stage of growth (Akarowhe) [1]. It is a term commonly
associated with the third world countries/least develops
countries (LDC). Development is a term used to appreciate the
need for institutional change from the primitive society to a more
advance society in the less develop, least develop and even
developing countries of the world.

Meaning of Third World Countries

Third world countries are often refers to least developed

countries of the world whose economic, military capabilities
dependent on the developed or developing countries through
assistance and aid; also to a great extent their political affairs is
influence by these countries. The term ‘third-world-countries’ is
a generic term used to describe the countries of Africa, Asia
and Latin America. Additionally, third world countries are
countries that operate on a mono-economy, low level of skilled
manpower, political instability and low standard of living (the
citizens live below one dollar a day). These countries tend to
experience high level of poverty, high infant mortality rate, high
level disease infection, high level of hunger, low level of
infrastructure, low income per-capita and high vicious circle of
poverty [2-4].

The Concept of Information Communication Technology

(ICT)

The term information and communication technology (ICT) is a

convergence from information technology (IT) and
communication technology (CT). According to Khan et al. [5],
information communication technology (ICT) refers to
technologies that provide access to information through
communications. Khan et al. [5] added that ICT stands for
information and communications technology. Also, ICT is an
umbrella term that includes any communication device,
encompassing radio, television, cell phones, computer and
network hardware, satellite systems and so on, as well as the
various services and appliance with them such as video
conferencing and distance learning. Information and
communication technology (ICT) have been touted as
potentially powerful enabling tools for educational change and
reform. A more pertinent role of information and communication
technology (ICT) is the transmitting, transferring, inculcating
desirable goals and values through education that cannot be
overemphasized in any society. In an educational system, ICT
is a driving force in the process of transferring of worthwhile
goals from a teacher to expected learners that would make
them to be useful to themselves and the society at large. ICT is
a new innovation that is yet to be properly unraveled in the
educational system of the third world countries/least developed
countries.

Concept of Educational System

Before explaining the concept of educational system, it is

pertinent of pin-point the meaning of education and system.
Education is an aggregate of all the positive dispositions
(values, attitudes, skills, and beliefs system) an individual
acquire which enable to him to contribute to the society which
he live and to himself. Education is aggregate of the process,
skills, depositions, and belief systems which a learner(s)
acquire/ achieve for his positive development and meaningful
contribution to the society he/she live. Education can also be
seen, as the acquisition of positive values and goals. Such
values and goals are meant for self-actualization of the
individual which the social system have keen interest for its
attainment. These values can be transmitted, transferred,
inculcated in a learner(s) through a comprehensive educational
system.

A system is a body of parts working together for the purpose to

achieve a predetermined set objective. Thus, an educational
system is agglomeration of all stakeholders that are involved in
the process of transferring and acquisition of positive
dispositions, believes, values, skills and attitudes for the benefit
of the society at large. An educational system is geared toward
learners’ productivity and nation building [4]. This is due to the
fact that, learners form the basis for which the system consist,
hence they are given prior attention which in the long-run lead
to their meaningful contribution to the national development.
Educational system encompasses the learners, teachers, non-
governmental agencies and the government.

The non-government agencies and the government are often

added to the educational system due to the role they place in
the system, which may involves the provision of funds, facilities
and needed manpower to man the system. In an educational
system the activities of the learners, teachers, government and
non-governmental organization cannot be overemphasized.

Concept of Teaching

In simply term, teaching is an interaction between a teacher and

learner(s), in which the teacher is expected on aprior to educate
the learner(s) on predetermined objective(s). Teaching is the
process of imparting worthwhile knowledge(s) on expected
learner(s). This worthwhile knowledge(s) are also called values,
which are highly needed by the society for meaningful
development. In other words, teaching is a process which
assists in transition of mundane society to an industrialized,
through the process of imparting certain desirable skills on the
learners taking into consideration modern trend of development
[5-8].

Teaching can also be seen, as the act and process of preparing

a learner(s) for better living standing in the larger society,
through an onward transmission of positive attitudes,
dispositions, values and skills by a teacher to the learners(s).
Thus, in light of the forgoing teaching helps the learner(s) in
self-reorientation, self-realization and self-actualization.
Phases of Information Communication Technology in an
Educational System

Basically, there are two phases in which ICT can be introduced

in an educational system of the third world countries, they are;

ICT for education

This encompasses different steps taking by relevant authorities

(stakeholder in the educational sector) in the less developed
countries to make use of ICT in their educational system. ICT
for education involves organizing of workshop, symposia, and
seminars for teachers; expert discussion and briefing of the
government on possible steps; procedures and strategies to be
taking, in the process of making ICT as a tool to be use in
teaching and learning in any institution of learning in a given
nation.

ICT in education

This is the process in which ICT is use by teachers in the

classroom for imparting knowledge on the learner(s). ICT in
education is more of teacher(s) and leaner(s) approach to ICT,
in which the learner(s) are expect to gain some learning
outcome at the ending of the use of ICT devices in teaching by
the teacher(s), which will in the long-run assist in national
development through upgrade of manpower capacity as a result
of the teaching/learning process.

Relevance of Information Communication Technology to

the Third World Countries Educational System

The relevance of information communication technology to the

third world countries educational system includes the following.

• It enhances the teacher(s) productivity in the

classroom: In the third world countries, were education is still
in mundane scenario (using of chalk-board). With the help of
ICT the classroom teacher(s) can perform better through the
use of various ICT materials available at his disposal. Although
in recent time, were teacher(s) performance is not only
measured by student academic achievement, but also by
effective use of materials which the ICT serve as a catalyst for
that optimum goal. In light of the forgoing, Shamatha et al. [7]
found that the use of computers give teachers an opportunity to
help those students with particular needs.

• It arouse the interest of the learner(s) in the learning/

teaching process: In the less develop countries, learner(s) are
still faced with mostly audio and quasi method of teaching in
which teacher(s) use verbal expression and chalk to write/draw
with low learner(s) eagerness to yield to the teaching/learning
process. Through the use of ICT audiovisual material, learner(s)
interest will be aroused by improved performance in the short-
run and in the long-run the educational system of the nation as
compare with other nations. Since it is generally believed, that
learner(s) is motivated by what they see; ICT will help them to
foster high and good retention process. ICT facilities such as
computer, project, radio, television and internet related device
aids learners’ performance [9-11]. In relation to the above,
Shamatha et al. [7] assert that the use of computers can help
students to become knowledgeable, reduce the amount of
direct instruction given to them.
• School administrators: With the help of ICT, school
administrators will be able to plan school work effectively in a
number of ways that would make learning/teaching more
yielding, through learner(s) based approach to school
administration. This could be done through small scale
workshops, symposia and seminars at the school to the
teacher(s) in making leaner(s) interest a priority.

Hindrance Face in the Use of Information Communication

Technology in the Third World Countries Educational
System

The following are some of the hindrance bedeviling the use of

information communication technology in the third world
countries educational system.

• Non-cooperative attitude of teachers: In the less developed

countries, the educational system is often faced with non-
cooperative attitude of teachers. Teachers’ non-cooperative
attitude in the form of non-adoption and non-usage of ICT
facilities in the teaching/learning process even when they are
provided in the school, in order to counter for the educational
needs of the learners is seriously observable in the less
developed countries. This scenario over time, have hinder the
lantern benefit of ICT to the learner.

• Lack of supervision and implementation of ICT

projects: Relevant agencies set up by the government or
Ministry of Education in the third world countries often show
apathy in the process of supervision of ICT facilities in most
institutions of learning, to ensure that ICT is embed in the
educational system these third world countries. Lack of
supervision has over time make some ICT facilities and
equipment in most institution of learning to lie waste. The light
of the forgoing has often hindered ICT to make a substantial
success in the third world countries.

• Lack of sufficient financial: Finance is often regarded as the

power house for any project or obligation that is of prior
importance. Financial constraint in terms of low budgetary
provision has over time hinders the ICT introduction to the
educational system of the third world countries. Lack of
sufficient finance hinders ICT as a tool new innovation to be
introduced in the educational system of the third world
countries, in order for it to yield the expected outcome(s). Due
to insufficient finance the acquisition of ICT related facilities
such as computers, projectors, and smart-boards has been
impossible, this often tends to make ICT not to utilize its
mandate in nation build through development [12]. This makes
teachers to complain about how difficult it was to always have
access to computers (Sicilia) [8].

• Inadequate knowledge of the teacher(s) on how manned

ICT equipment: Most teacher(s) in the third world do not have
adequate skill to use ICT materials for effective teaching and
learning. This is mostly due to lack of in-service training for
teacher(s) and it result in minimal utilization and fulfillment of
the ICT as a tools for effective teaching/ learning. In same vein,
Beggs [3] opine that one of the top three barriers to teachers’
use of ICT in teaching students was the lack of training. In same
similitude, Pelgrum [6] and Al-Oteawi [2] submitted that
teachers’ lack of technological competence is the main barrier
to their acceptance and adoption of ICT.
• Political instability: Due to frequent change of government,
ICT in the education of the third world countries is experiencing
a serious set-back. This is often due to the fact that as new
government comes into power new policies are to be
implemented, without considering the policies of their
predecessors most time, which may have a little bearing with
the adoption of ICT related devices or facilities for educational
institutions. Due to political instability, government is often faced
with unresponsive attitude to implement of stated ICT project.

Possible Solutions to Some the Hindrances Facing in the

Use of Information Communication Technology in the
Third World Countries Educational System

In light of the hindrances, the following are some of the possible

solution to some of the hindrance facing the use of information
communication technology in the third world countries
educational system.

• On-the job training: On-the job training is an avenue for

teachers’ upgrade of skills and knowledge. In on-the-job
training, teachers will be train on how to adopt and use relate
ICT facilities for effective and efficient teaching/ learning in the
classroom. For ICT to witness its massive success, in the
educational system of third world countries, on-the-job teaching
should be giving to teachers that will help to enlighten them on
how to effectively use of ICT facilities and equipment for
teaching when they are provided in an institutions of learning.
This will to enable them to upgrade their technical-know-how on
ICT facilities in course of teaching the anticipated learners for
improved academic achievement. On the aggregate, on-the-job
training involves the process of an instructor who is versatile
with ICT appliances educating the teachers on the possible
ways of using ICT related facilities in order to make teaching
more interesting and more learners centered [13]. Bingimlas
supplemented that schools need to provide training courses for
teachers to gain experience in dealing with the new devices,
modern technologies, and new pedagogical approaches [4].

• Organizing of awareness programmes: Awareness

programmes such as workshop, seminars, and symposia if
organized for teachers by governments and relevant authorities
in the educational system will help to enhance teachers’
efficiency and effectiveness in the use of ICT related facilities in
the process of teaching. This awareness programmes will
enlighten teachers on why they should use and how to use ICT
facilities in the course of lessons delivery, for the lantern
benefits of ICT to be yielded in the teaching/ learning process.

• Proper supervision of ICT

projects/programmes: Supervision of any project/programme
is of prior important for such a project/programme to yield its’
anticipated benefits for which it was established/setup. In the
light of this, ICT projects/programmes should be given prior
attention in terms of their supervision by government, ministry of
education or other stakeholder in the third world countries by
ensuring that teachers on their parts are committed to adopting
and using of ICT related equipments/ facilities in the process of
teaching the learners. Additionally, supervision will ensure that
a particular project/programme is not abandoned by key
stakeholders in the educational system and most official who
are given funds to complete a given ICT project/programmes.

• Provision of ICT facilities: Government of the third world

countries should endeavour to provide ICT facilities such as
projectors, computers, internet connector and smart-boards to
schools and institutions of learning, this will enhance
teaching/learning process and on the aggregate academic
performance in that country. It is worth noting that, when ICT
facilities are provided by the government there is always a high
tendency for teachers to adopt and use these facilities to
enhance their productivity, which is expected to have a positive
impact on the learners’ performance. Additionally, Bingimlas [4]
contended that schools must provide teachers with the
necessary ICT resources including hardware and software. It is
important for schools to cooperate with ICT teachers by
providing sufficient time to implement new technologies in the
classroom.

• Adequate budgetary provision: Government of the third

world countries should make adequate fund available through
her yearly budget. This will help in building of ICT laboratories,
acquisition and dispensation of ICT facilities to
schools/institution of learning that are in need of them for
effective and efficient teaching/learning by both the
teachers/learners. Additionally, adequate budgetary provision
will help in replacing worn-out/depreciating values of ICT
facilities in these institutions of learning and acquiring better
facilities. Sufficient fund will help to smoothen the process of
using ICT related facilities in an institution of learning/schools.

• Proper remuneration of teacher: Proper remuneration of

teachers is a motivating factor for the teachers, which will propel
them to be committed in using ICT facilities for teaching of the
anticipated learners. Proper remuneration of teachers involve
giving the teachers their allowances, infringe benefits and
salaries as at when due. When teachers are properly
remunerated in terms of increase in their take home at the end
of the month, they tend to map-out or innovate ways of using
ICT facilities to increase their productivity which will have a
long-run positive impact on the educational system of the third
world countries.

• Government policies: Government should adopt suitable

policies that will favour ICT for and in educational purpose given
the fact that education is a tool for national development.
Policies make by government of the third world countries should
be such that will help manpower development with emphases
on ICT as the drive to actualize the objective. Additionally,
government policies concerning ICT in third world educational
system should be free from political biases.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following

recommendations are made:

• International organizations such as UNESCO should assist

the third world countries in terms of providing of finance and
technological support as at when necessary, which will help to
propel the less developed countries for a competitive
development in raising manpower index.

• Develop and developing countries of the world should

endeavour to grant aid and assistance to the third world
countries in the area of ICT teaching/learning facilities. This will
in the short-run helps to erode the problem of illiteracy
concerning ICT and in the long-run raise human capital index in
these third world countries.
Conclusion

Informational communication technology (ICT) is a tool of global

educational development. The use of information
communication technology in the third world countries has
witness a number of pitfalls, despite relevant educational
stakeholders’ effort to savage the situation. Some of the
possible solution insight as exaggerated by the researcher will
serve as benchmark for ICT to be fully optimized in the
educational system of these third world countries, for it to yield
its lantern benefit in terms of making teaching/learning more
efficient/ effective which is a pivotal for manpower and national
development.