Digitization Readiness Assessment in Public Organizations a Case of Kenya National Examinations Council
Abstract
An education system geared towards critical thinking, problem solving and lifelong learning is an
important part of the innovation ecosystem. The examination process is an important indicator of
learning outcomes. In Kenya, examinations are managed by Kenya National Examination Council
(KNEC), who are required to provide accurate and timely examination information to education
stakeholders, including candidates, schools, curriculum developers, and education policy makers. This
is hampered by information held in hardcopy documents that poses a challenge to access, search,
dissemination and analysis. A number of attempts to digitize existing documents have not been
successful.
The research is purposed to come up with a digitization readiness model to assess the preparedness of
KNEC and by extension other public organizations towards undertaking digitization. After reviewing
theory on e-readiness and digitization of organizations, the study developed a digitization readiness
assessment model (DRAM), which included organizational, IT governance, competency, technology
and ICT security readiness indicators. The model was then validated through a survey at KNEC.
Through a quantitative survey, the study sought to establish the preparedness of KNEC to carry out
digitization. Purposive sampling targeting a population of 100 respondents was done. A questionnaire
was the main data collection instrument, while data analysis was by use of frequencies, descriptive
analysis and Principal Component Analysis.
The analysis established an aggregation of success factors along three components; most critical,
critical, and less critical/supportive. The study reveals that the most critical indicators address
governance of ICT projects, critical indicators addresses control measures of the same while less
critical factors are supportive. The emergent digitization (preparedness) index for KNEC was found to
be 2.88, on a scale of 1 to 4, where 2.5 is the minimum expected level of readiness. A critical look
however at the individual indices that aggregate this score shows weakness in some of the factors
associated with the “most critical” axis. These are competency readiness and Organizational
Readiness.
The study concludes that Digitization Readiness Assessment Model is useful to managers of public
organizations, for decision-making and recommends sector wide approach towards digitization as a
way to optimize resources.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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