INTEGRATING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) INTO HOME ECONOMICS IN UPPER BASIC SCHOOLS IN UMUAHIA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA (LGA) ABIA STATE.

This study investigated the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into Home Economics in Upper Basic Schools in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State.  One research question and one hypothesis guided the study. The study population comprised 4,456 individuals: 4,436 students and 20 teachers. The study sample comprised 132 participants (120 students and 12 teachers), selected through multiple random sampling. The study area was Umuahia South LGA, Abia State. The study employed a descriptive research design, using a structured questionnaire in line with a 5- point Likert scale to elicit data from respondents (teachers and students) of Home Economics in upper basic schools in Umuahia South LGA. The instrument used was validated by three experts from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture. The Cronbach's Alpha method was used to test the instrument's reliability, yielding a coefficient of 0.86. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 30. The mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research question, and a t-test was used to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings, among others, revealed that the schools lacked sufficient ICT resources, such as computers and projectors. Again, teachers were not adequately trained to integrate ICT into Home Economics instruction. The study, among others, recommended that education authorities in Abia State, specifically in Umuahia South LGA, should prioritize investment in ICT infrastructure by providing adequate resources, such as computers, projectors, and other equipment.