AN EVALUATION OF THE AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF THE INTERNET IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PANKSHIN LGA, PLATEAU STATE

This study evaluated the availability and utilization of the internet in public and private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State. The researcher employed mixed-methods approach in the collection of data; the data were collected from 10 public and 10 private secondary schools through surveys and interviews with students, teachers, and administrators. Findings reveal significant disparities in internet access and usage between public and private institutions, with private schools demonstrating higher availability and more effective utilization of internet resources. The researcher used a total of 200 respondents, which comprised 100 teachers and 100 students from the selected schools for the purpose of this work. The researcher adapted simple percentage in analyzing the data collected from the respondents. The results indicated that only 30% of public and 70% of private secondary schools have internet facilities. Most teachers (90%) and students (80%) in private secondary schools utilize the internet for educational purposes, while only 10% of teachers and 20% of students in public secondary schools do so. The main challenges faced by teachers and students in utilizing the internet for educational purposes include lack of internet facilities, slow internet speed, and high cost of internet subscription. The study recommended that Government, NGOs and other stakeholders should order for the provision of internet facilities and training for teachers/students in our schools in other to enhance the utilization of the internet for educational purposes.