THE ROLE OF RADIO IN EMPOWERING THE RURAL GIRL-CHILD THROUGH FORMAL AND NON-FORMAL EDUCATION FOR SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the role of radio in empowering the rural girl-child through formal and non-formal education for socio-economic development in Niger State. The study was anchored on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI) propounded by Rogers (1962), which explains how new ideas and knowledge are communicated and adopted within a social system through effective communication channels such as radio. The survey research design was adopted, while data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed on a 5-point Likert scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neutral (N), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). The population comprised residents of selected rural communities in Bida Local Government Area, and data were analyzed using frequency counts and simple percentages. Findings of the study revealed that radio programmes significantly promote formal education by encouraging school enrollment, improving learning interest, and reducing socio-cultural barriers against the girl-child. The study further found that radio contributes to non-formal education by providing vocational training, entrepreneurship skills, health awareness, and life skills that enhance socio-economic empowerment. However, the study also identified key challenges such as poor access to radio sets, irregular electricity supply, language barriers, limited programme quality, and cultural restrictions, which hinder the effectiveness of radio educational programmes. The study concluded that radio remains a powerful and accessible tool for promoting educational advancement and socio-economic empowerment of the rural girlchild in Niger State. It was therefore recommended that government and media organizations should improve radio educational programming, ensure use of local languages, increase awareness campaigns, and provide support for rural access to radio devices and stable power supply to enhance effective learning and empowerment outcomes