This study assesses the impact of digital literacy training programs on teachers' instructional
quality in public secondary schools across Kaduna State, Nigeria. Driven by the imperative
of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and national digital transformation policies, the research
addresses a critical gap in empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of these initiatives.
Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, quantitative data were gathered
through structured questionnaires administered to 1148 teachers from 12 purposively
selected secondary schools across Kaduna State's three senatorial zones, drawing from a
larger pool of 7700 teachers recruited in 2022. Teacher participation for questionnaires
utilised convenience sampling, and quantitative data were analysed using simple statistical
methods. Complementing this, qualitative data were obtained from a focus group
discussion with both experienced and newer staff, and in-depth interviews with 12
principals, who were purposively selected from across the state's senatorial zones. Findings
reveal that while digital literacy training demonstrably holds substantial potential to improve
instructional quality by fostering engaging, personalised, and collaborative learning
environments, its effective integration is significantly hampered by pervasive systemic
barriers within Kaduna State's educational system. Challenges identified include
inadequate ICT infrastructure such as lack of functional devices, unreliable internet access,
frequent power outages), insufficient and often impractical teacher professional
development, persistent funding gaps, and varying teacher attitudes and motivation towards
technology adoption. The study concludes that these obstacles are deeply interconnected;
suggesting that isolated interventions will not yield sustainable improvements in
instructional quality. The paper recommends sustained and strategic investment in ICT
infrastructure, coupled with the design and delivery of continuous, context-specific, and
pedagogically-focused training programs that not only build technical proficiency but also
cultivate digital pedagogical competence.