Print and Broadcast Mass Media Factors as Predictors of Nigerian Teachers' Political Awareness and Participation

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which the use of print and broadcast mass media could predict the level of awareness and participation of secondary school teachers in political activities and its implications on the quality of Nigerian education system. Eight hundred and two secondary school teachers from South West states of Nigeria served as the sample for the study. The Teachers in Politics through Mass Media Questionnaire with Cronbach coefficient alpha of 0.86 was used in the collection of data that was analyzed with t-test and Analysis of Variance at a .05 significant level. The use of print and broadcast mass media in creating awareness about political parties' activities and the electoral process had a combined effect on the teachers' participation in political party activities. Similarly, the use of print and broadcast mass media in creating awareness about the political parties' activities and the electoral process had a combined effect on teachers' participation in the electoral process, but the use of print and broadcast mass media for awareness of the electoral process was a prominent predictor of teachers' participation in the electoral process. In view of the above findings, it was however suggested amongst other things that teachers' condition of service should be reviewed to encourage teachers' comfortable and convenient living. Likewise, government should reduce the time span of the electoral process to reduce teachers' rate of absence from the classroom because of its adverse effect on the educational system.