RESOURCE UTILIZATION IN EDUCATION: USING IGBO RADIO PROGRAMMES TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA.

Abstract

There are approximately 7000 languages in existence (UNESCO, 2003).Nigerian languages are put at about five hundred and twenty one (521) (Crozier and Blench, 1992; Ikegbunam, 2010). Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba are considered the country’s major languages due to their having speakers in excess of 18 million each. Many Igbo families have settled in various parts of Nigeria where they work and raise children. This puts pressure on many Igbo families who increasingly bring up their children to speak English rather than Igbo. This study looked into utilization of Igbo radio programmes to improve the knowledge and positive attitude of Igbo secondary school students towards their indigenous language and culture. It aimed at producing some packaged Igbo radio software based on Nigerian secondary school Igbo curriculum which was used to teach some given topics in the class and also be broadcast on the radio station. Purposive sample of four hundred (400) Igbo secondary students were drawn from ten secondary schools in Lagos State on the basis that they offer Igbo language as one of their school subjects and are using radio facilities in addition to conventional methods of teaching and learning. Instrument for data collection was questionnaire on attitude and motivation of students on the use of Igbo radio programmes to improve their knowledge of Igbo language. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics- frequency and percentage.