THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Thesis Overview

1.0   INTRODUCTIONMass medial has assumed a very important position in the educational development in Nigeria.  This accounts for the introduction of the universal free primary Education-UPE in 1996 and the establishment of new primary, secondary and post secondary school over the country.The word-Education could be defined in various ways. In a very broad sense, education could be defined to include every agency which enables an individual to master his physical and social environment of which he is a member, it could be defined as an act of teaching, bringing up, instructing or enlightening.For the purpose of this study, education will be defined as an organisaed and formal instruction which is given in educational establishments such as schools, colleges and universities.Education has an important role to play in the economy of a nation.  The most important economic function of education is that of ensuring that the nation’s need for a labour force is satisfied.  Nigeria-a modern industrializing society-news, not just a great deal of man-power, but good quality manpower, the quality and quantity manpower to a large extent controlled by the educational system.Education also has a political role to play in the Nigeria society.The stability of any autonomous political unit depends upon two criteria consensus of opinion.About the assumption underlying.  The system, and the ability of the system to provide leaders from within itself in both cases, education has an important role to play.However, formal education in Nigeria is no longer confined to educational establishment only.  The mass media have, in recent times, taken a bold and positive step towards enhancing educational development in the country. An example is the Enugu Television station (ETV) University of the Air.Mass media-Communication comprises the institutions and technique by which specialized groups employ technological devices, that is the press, Television, Radio, Films, theat disseminate information to large heterogenenous and widely dispersed audience.This study is particularly concerned with Television and its contribution to educational advancement in the country.1.1    THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYEducational broadcasting/Television-WNBC/TV Ibandan in 1964.Later in the same year, educational broadcasting spread to Kaduna, the seat of the Northern states.In 1965 the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Service (Television-EWBC/TV-Started what looked like educational broadcasting with the help of the Eastern Nigeria Ministry of Education, but the programming then was mainly informed, comprising what Elihu Katz and George Wedell might describe as extensive Educations.A typical Enbc/tu programme in this category was the “Tortoise club a programme for very young children.This type of programming continued until the out-break of the Nigerian civil war in 1966, at the restoration of pea;e om 1970, Television stations did not function until 1972.Later in 1973, NTA, Lagos revived its educational programme by introducing some foreign films on science.  This programme was meant for children between the ages of ten and fifteen.It was at this point that the idea of schools broadcast in science came up and was introduced in many of the Nigeria Television Stations in the country.NTA channel 8, Enugu was one of the television stations that introduced schools broadcast in science in its programme schedule.So in 1996, the station started a formal educational programme which they called “Science for schools” This programme was then ministry of Education Headquaters, Enugu.  Later, the co-operation shifted from the ministry to the principal education officers, Mrs F. Nwakoby.The format for the production of the programme was mainly provided by the center.  But in the early part of 1977, the educational department of NTA channel 8 became autonomous with a graduate in science heading it. And from then the format for the production of the programme became the responsibility of the department.The programme is made up of lectures in chemistry and biology.  It is broadcast on Mondays at 5.30 pm and lasts for thirty minutes.  The production is serial, one subject matter leading to the development of another the scheme is drawn along side the school certificate syllabus in chemistry and biology.  It has, as large audience, students in class three, four and five in secondary school who are offering chemistry and Biology the school certificate examination.1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEMAccording to the programme producers, the programme “Science for schools” is designed.1. To enhance the teaching of science in higher schools. The students, through this formal educational programme, are encouraged to develop greater interest in science subjects that produces a gateway to higher hopes towards technological advancement in Nigeria.2. To complement and supplement classroom education.3. To broaden and deepen knowledge in science4. To encourage intellectual development structure.5. To provide tutorial on curriculum subjectsIn is noteworthy that apart from “Science for schools” produced for lower secondary schools students.  It is broadcast on Tuesdays at 5.00pm and lasts for thirty minutes.“Teaching Igbo” for primary schools pupils.  This is aired on the days at 5.30pm and lasts for thirty minutes:- schools challenge” for secondary school.  Students broadcasting on Wednesdays at 5.30pm and lasts for thirty minutes.But this study concentrates on “Science for schools” and is designed to determine whether this programme has achieved the aims and objectives for which it was established.  It is aimed at finding out whether the television is playing an effective role in formal education.In studying “Science for schools” the researcher intends to find out, scienctifically whether the students who are the promme target audience are conversant with the programme and whether they are gaining anything from it.1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY1. To enlighten the educational systems in Nigerian through the mass media.2. To make the students know the value of television.3. To actualize the claim that day students have more access to television than boarders.4. To know the total number of people that has access to television sets.1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY1. To show that mass media has gone along way to enhance or facilitate education in Nigeria.2. To show that television viewing Nigeria has multiplied ant at greater number of people has access to it.3. To enlighten the masses on the educative aspect of the television and to allow them air their views through feedback.1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS1. Does media in any sense contribute to the enhancement of the societal academic pursuit.2. Have the country discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.3. Can watching television improve the knowledge of the people in the society?4. Does mass media help to enlighten the students in their education.1.6 HYPOTHESESHi: Media contributes to the enhancement of society.Ho: Medial does not contribute to enhancement of society.H2: The country has discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.Ho: The country has not discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.H3: Watching television improves the knowledge of the people in the society.Ho: Watching television does not improve the knowledge of the society.H4: Mass media does not help to enlighten the students in their education.Ho: Mass media does not help to enlighten the students in their education.1.7 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS1. TELEVISION: As it is used in this study means an instrument used in the dissemination of information making use of audio visuals and intended to reach larger heterogeneous and widely dispersed audience.2. BROADCASTING: This is an act of dissemination information to widely dispersed audience.3. POPULARITY: As used in this work, popularity means to be known, pleasing and useful to the target audience.1.8 ASSUMPTIONSThe use of mass media in educational development in Nigeria has contributed a lot in the widening of the peoples knowledge in the society and also the scope of mass media in the society, media equipment are things like the television, radio and other electronic sets which are meant to give out information objectively through their effective usage to educate the poor masses.Television as the study is used as the center points have numerous realities in its contribution to the educational advancement in the society.More useful information is dismissed through the Television sets.  It has equally gone to the extent of entertaining the students and keeping them abstract in the happenings around the society.