Impact of Socioeconomic Background on Student Access and Effective Use of Personal Computers in Rwanda.

The article examines the impact of students' socioeconomic backgrounds—specifically parental income and wealth, education level, and occupation—on access to and effective use of personal computers in two private universities in Kigali, Rwanda. Using data from 622 students at Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) and Kepler College, the study finds that these socioeconomic factors significantly influence computer access and use, explaining 16.3% of the variance, while suggesting that other factors like internet connectivity and digital literacy also play important roles. The findings highlight that higher parental income, education, and stable employment correlate with better access and proficiency in computer use, underscoring persistent digital divides. The study recommends targeted government subsidies and enhanced ICT integration policies to support low-income students and calls for further research into additional variables affecting digital equity in Rwandan higher education.