Technological Challenges Affecting Radio Broadcasts to Schools in Kenya: the Case of Primary Schools in Rangwe Division, Homa Bay County

Abstract

Radio broadcasts to schools programme has been in existence since 1920's. Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) develops Interactive Radio Lessons (IRLs) with education curriculum experts and other stakeholders for learners in primary, secondary and tertiary schools including the general public, apart from the university levels (Abuli et al., 2013). In Kenya, radio broadcast to schools was introduced in 1960's with the aim of widening accessibility to education, improving quality of education, diffusing superior teaching methods to serving teachers and training of teachers at lower cost. The research study was carried out to find out the technological challenges being faced by radio broadcasts to schools programme in Kenya, with the case of both public and private primary schools in Rangwe Division, Homa Bay County. The study used descriptive survey design. Data collection was done using semi structured questionnaires and observation schedules. The data collected from the field was coded and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively using descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Professional Social Sciences (SPSS). The overall findings showed that absolute majority of schools in Rangwe division were not using radio broadcasts to schools programme in supplementing learning in upper classes. Most headteachers and teachers including learners attributed this to lack of functional radio sets in schools, lack of electricity power connections in schools, Poor radio signal receptions in other areas, lack of sensitization in schools, lack of prompt distributions of broadcast time tables by KICD to schools, and lack of technical know-how on the operations of radio sets by teachers. The recommendations of the findings can be used by stakeholders in education sector especially KICD in addressing the technological challenges experienced by schools in integrating radio broadcast to schools programme as a learning tool in schools. The findings also contribute to new knowledge in the field of Interactive Radio Lessons (IRLs) in schools for future research work. The stakeholders of radio broadcasts to schools programme like KICD, MOEST, KBC, TAC Tutors or AEOs, schools and other education sectors should liaise and work together to achieve the common goal of the programme which is equal education for all