Abstract:

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is recognized globally as the bedrock for national development in a rapidly changing global environment. Increasingly, the adoption of ICT for different purposes including teaching and learning has become widespread among secondary school students in Nigeria. However, there exists a gap in ICT adoption between male and female students. Wrong perception of ICT, choice of ICT platforms, Power outage and lack of internet facilities have been identified as obstacles to optimal ICT adoption. This paper examines the influence of socio-cultural factors on gender differences in ICT adoption among students of public secondary schools (PSS) in Ota, an urban settlement located in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria which has highest number of educational facilities in the region. Engaging primary data from a sample of 287 secondary school students, the study found the absence of positive and supportive ICT culture as major hindrance to ICT adoption among students of Public secondary schools (PSS). It suggest the need for enabling social-cultural environment to increase the participation of both male and female students in ICT for relevant opportunities and employment in ICT, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related fields required for human and societal transformation.

Keywords:

Social, Cultural, Gender, Information, Communication, Technology, Public, Secondary, Schools, Nigeria.