A framework for enhancing information sharing in the North West Department of Education, South Africa

Abstract

One of the challenges facing the ministry of education is transition from mundane processes to electronic information sharing. This study focused on the North West Department of Education, which is responsible for delivering basic education in South Africa. Information sharing refers to the exchange of information between people and organisations. This study focuses on information sharing within the North West Department of Education, with a view to exploring the possibility of an aligned system of communication between schools and district offices. The researcher was concerned about the slow pace of adoption of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which is largely due to the reliance on paper-based information sharing amidst the forces of the fourth industrial revolution impacting on almost every facet of lives. The Department of Education does not take advantage of the obvious benefits of ICT. There is minimal use of such artefacts as the Internet and emails, among others. According to the report by National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), published in 2016, the Department of Education in South Africa has not done enough to address challenges with regard to ICT. One of the major challenges identified by the NECT Report is shortage of ICT resources. The Delone and Mclean Information Systems Success Model (ISSM) (2003) and Engestrom's Activity Theory (AT) (2003) (AT) were used in this study. ISSM is a model whose constructs determine whether or not Information Systems is implemented successfully or not and was used in the quantitative section of the study. AT is a theory developed to interpret activities that have seven constructs and was used in the qualitative section of the study. The first research instrument developed from ISSM was divided into constructs of quality of information, quality of system, quality of service, user satisfaction, intentions of usage and use. The second research instrument developed from AT focused on data categorised into ten areas of computers, personnel, policies, the Department as a whole and the organogram. A mixed methods approach was used in the study, where quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques were used concurrently. The research onion as proposed by Saunders (2012) was employed in the study and pragmatism considered as the main research philosophy that informed the study. Qualitative and quantitative questionnaires were administered for data collection. The research questions sought to understand why the North West Department of Education could not leverage the obvious ICT benefits and to explore ways of enhancing information sharing. The conceptual framework used was a combination of Engestrom's Activity Theory and the Delone and Mclean model of Information Systems Success. The Activity Theory was used to interpret questions about why the Department was slow in the adoption of ICT tools while the second theory was used to interpret what was happening on the ground, a combination of objectivism and constructivism also referred to as pragmatism. The study revealed various obvious ICT challenges prevalent in third world countries such as non-availability of ICT budgets, no ICT policies, no training of personnel on ICT and poor quality of service, among others. It was further revealed that policy adoption and budgets for ICT were non-existent and the service from the ICT Division of the Department was not right. A framework to enhance information sharing is proposed in the study. The framework identifies key areas that need attention as follows: infrastructure; connectivity; people skills; quality of service; budgets; and policies. These key areas are considered to be an impediment towards information sharing and if addressed, information sharing could be enhanced.