Teacher Competency in the Use of Video Devices for Teaching and Learning Kiswahili Plays in Public Secondary Schools in Kilifi County, Kenya

Teacher competence to use video equipment for teaching Kiswahili remains a critical concern in Kenyan secondary schools, especially when students’ performance in the subject has been persistently poor. This study sought to determine teacher competency in the use of video devices for teaching and learning a Kiswahili play in public secondary schools in Kilifi County, Kenya. It was informed by Bruner’s Constructivist Theory and conducted through a descriptive survey design involving a sample of 229 respondents. The respondents comprised teachers, principals, students, Quality Assurance and Standard Officers (QASOs), and an ICT champion teacher. Questionnaires, interview guides, classroom observations, and document analysis were used to gather data. The results showed that 66.67% of teachers are not trained in ICT, the majority have no experience in video editing and creating video content, and 73.33% lack video-assisted lesson plans. Regarding the availability of other media, common media were DVDs and CDs in many schools, but very few had a projector. The study highlights that poor teacher competence, technophobia, and lack of resources contribute to the underutilization of videos. In turn, this adversely affects Kiswahili teaching and learning and the poor performance of the learners. Sustained competency-based training for teachers and increased investment in video resources by schools and policymakers may enhance instructional quality