CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Educational radio programmes is content developed and transmitted through radio to the target listener for the purpose of teaching and learning (Chute et al, 2009). Radio’s invention in the late 1880s introduced a new form of communication. Radio became an extensive mass medium for spreading information, education, news, progressing a society and its people. Radio has since then been a sensation amongst third world countries and also developed nations. The immense value radio provides in spreading information to more than 100 million people within the same timeframe has proven its ability to save money, time and energy in unique way (Baum 2008).The great news about radio is its availability, cost of purchase and easy to use, then least intelligent can easily operate a radio, including the blind. Radio programmes stretch out from educating to entertaining people in all works of life. Thus, every listener of radio is considered asan audience of such programmes. Several programmes are launched on radio by the producers every now and then; from Christian programmes, to educational and entertainments. And such listeners grow intimate with the programmes and grow in that direction. Because of its availability, most nations, especially the developing countries, grew interested in using radio to grow its education sector. Radio has remained an efficient and money-saving tool in education for various forms of education both formal and non-formal education. Where the government permitted its wide use as an educational tool, it became a sufficient use in the dissemination of education and affecting people’s lives. In recent times, radio served a great deal during the COVID-19 lockdown, whereby most countries, especially Cameroon schools, embraced radio transmission as a tool for teaching their students who were mostly at home. Radio has proven to be low cost and 100 percent reliable in almost all climates or situations that humans face or war times, it has been recognized to be a suitable medium through which educational materials and information can be carried out (Baum, 2008)..The educational programmes aired within a region depend on the contextual designs of the producers to apply the listeners in engaging longer in the learning process. The producer’s skills and experience knowhow helps keep listeners engaged and increases in the community’s individual capabilities through different structured learning and teachings on radio airwaves. A producer knows how to connect with the listeners to exchange information, invite schoolteachers and principals, network with health personnel, and connect with church groups or elders’ in the community in provision of capable personalities who would come on radio to teach. These actions taken by the radio producers are agents of change and development in the community and the nation. In developing and changing the mindset of a people, educational radio broadcast creates the promotion of vital information dissemination and creating awareness about the importance of knowledge to the community and further connecting with the community in terms of decision making, invitations of several skillful and educational personnel and designing interesting programmes for the populace. In doing this, the community is carried along in creating the educational suitable programme for themselves; rather than straight talking to the people like most mainstream media houses do, the communities join in designing, creating and producing the best education, entertaining and skill-learning programmes for their people (Chute et al., 2009). This act of incorporation in programme creation strengthens the listeners’ interest and enhances their pleasure and further increases participation in the radio programmes. In giving the listeners voice in their stronghold to participate in content creation, especially when a local and their dialects are used in teaching, educating and running quiz competitions. In recent times, radio has been used in different countries for different educational reasoning, in Thailand, mathematics is thought on radio just as it has been used for teachers’ training in India. Hundreds of countries have used radio platforms for educational purposes; places such as Columbia and Mexico. The Philippines has used radio for nutrition training as well as health education. Africa mainly uses radio communication purposes and educational broadcast (Chute et al., 2009).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Monitoring of utilization of radio programs done from 2005 indicated 84% of schools using radios to teach various subjects (KIE, 2005). In 2008, monitoring indicated 56% of primary schools utilize radio programs. In 2010, utilization had drop to 30.7%, (KIE, 2010) while in 2012, utilization slidely increase to 31.6% and in in 2013, utilization went down to 23%(KICD, 2013). To add on to this the sales of packaged radio programmes have also been on the decline. Despite the government investing a lot of money in production and airing of the radio programmes the utilization of the programmes has continuously decreased. Hence there is need to investigate the factors and bring out the role of radio programs on educational development and recommend appropriate measures to be taken to reverse the trend.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Research Question

What is the impact of radio programs on educational development.

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

1. To what extend does radio programs influence educational development Bamenda?
2. How can improvement in radio programs influence educational development in Bamenda?

1.4 Research Objectives.

1.4.1 Main Research Objective

To know the impacts of radio programs on education development.

1.4.2 Specific research objectives.

1. To know the extent which radio programs influence educational development.
2. To know the extents which an improvement in radio programs can influence education.