ITEM in Botswana and Uganda

Abstract

This article reports on the lessons learnt from the implementation of a computerized information system (CIS) for managing human resources at the Ministry of Education in Botswana, and on the usage of CISs in the management of secondary schools in Uganda. The findings from these African studies portray the levels of usage, their impact and the critical success factors that most influence the utilization of the CISs. in both countries, clerical usage of the CISs was reported. User training is reported as the most important determinant of CIS usage in both Uganda and Botswana. In Uganda, managerial usage by school managers is very limited, but users are generally positive concerning the effects of CISs use. In Botswana, the direct usage by managers is also limited as is use for decision-making. It is concluded that wider and better CIS usage can be promoted by carefully designed user training, grounded on a thorough analysis of the needs of the user group. © 2007 International Federation for Information Processing.