Adoption of Cloud Computing by the Government as a Tool for Effective Management of Government Funds in Kenyan Public Schools

Abstract

Misappropriation of funds set aside by the government for ministry of education to fund the free basic education is common in Kenya. The report revealed that Kenya is the seventh highest funder of education in the world and the leading in sub-Saharan Africa, the challenge is how these resources are managed. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to carry out an analysis of the situation on government management of funds issued to public schools; to investigate the drivers of cloud computing for financial management of funds allocated to public schools in Kenya and to formulate and validate a framework for adoption of cloud computing financial management of funds allocated to public schools in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. In this study, the researcher used questionnaires as well as an interview guide as data collection instruments. The data collected was then used and analyzed to provide information used to describe and interpret current events. Questionnaires allow collection of large amounts of data from the target population. The target group of respondents included the employees in the Ministry of education whose duty is to oversee operations in both primary and Secondary schools, Information Technology departments within the Ministry, Center for curriculum development, KNEC, Special education program, TSC and School Heads of public schools. The study employed stratified sampling technique to sample participants who represent the population. Therefore sample size was hence 164 public schools in Nairobi City County. The researcher then used random sampling methods in selecting the samples of the study. Quantitative methods of analysis require either the use of descriptive statistics analysis or inferential statistics analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis included the analysis of means, frequencies and percentages and standard deviations. On the other hand, inferential statistics involves the use of correlation and regression analysis. SPSS-Amos software was used to assess the statistical significance of each hypothesis considering the path coefficient values that are standardized betas. The study established that technological factors had a negative and significant relationship with adoption of cloud computing. Security factors were found to a have a positive and significant effect on adoption of cloud computing. Organization factors had positive and insignificant while environmental factors had negative and insignificant effect on adoption of cloud computing in financial management of funds allocated to public schools in Kenya. The study also concludes that technological factors and security factors such as organization’s ability to invest in security of cloud infrastructure, integrity of the services and data, confidentiality of government information, the need to have privacy, the liability of the service providers in case of security of data as well cloud compliance issues significantly influences adoption of cloud computing in public schools in Nairobi City County. The study recommends that since technological factors plays a significant role in adoption of cloud computing, the government policy makers should come up with policies which can involve heads of public schools to improve the existing technological situation by improving the existing technology architecture and existing IT systems so as to create an enabling environment for adoption of cloud computing.